Dsm IP Assets B.v.

Lisa Giraudi

Werner Bonrath

Thomas Netscher

Reinhard Karge

Jocelyn Fischesser

Thomas Heinrich Pabst

Claus Dittel

Thomas Pabst

The present invention relates to a novel process for the manufacture of Grewe-diamine comprising the following step: hydrolyzing a compound of formula (II), wherein R is hydrogen or straight- or branched chain C1-4 alkyl, with an aqueous alkali or alkaline-earth metal hydroxide solution, characterized in that the hydrolysis is carried out in the presence of an organic solvent.

Process for the manufacture of a precursor of vitamin B1

A process for the manufacture of a tocyl acylate or a tocopheryl acylate comprises reacting tocol or a tocopherol with an acylating agent in the presence of a solid heterogeneous Br&#xf6;nsted acid catalyst, said catalyst being an inorganic Br&#xf6;nsted acid on a solid carrier material which comprises silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide or both silicon dioxide and titanium dioxide, or being an organofunctional polysilonaxe featuring sulpho groups, the solid heterogeneous Br&#xf6;nsted acid catalyst further featuring a BET surface area from about 10 m/g to about 800 m/g and a pore volume from about 0.1 ml/g to about 2.0 ml/g. The main commercial form of vitamin E, being (all-rac)-&#x3b1;-tocopheryl acetate, can be manufactured by acylation of (all-rac)-&#x3b1;-tocopherol according to this process.

Process for the manufacture of tocyl and tocopheryl acylates

The present invention is concerned with a novel process for the manufacture of &#x3b1;-tocopheryl acetate which comprises reacting 2,3,6-trimethylhydroquinone-1-acetate with a compound selected from the group consisting of phytol (formula IV with R&#x2550;OH), iso-phytol (formula III with R&#x2550;OH), and (iso) phytol derivatives represented by the following formulae III and IV with R&#x2550;C-to C-alkonoyloxy, benzoyloxy, mesyloxy, bezenesul-fonyloxy or tosyloxy, (IV) in the presence of a catalyst of the formula M(RSO), wherein Mis a silver, copper, gallium, hafnium or rare earth metal cation, n is the valence of the cation M, and Ris fluorine, C-perfluoroalkyl or perfluoroaryl, and, if required, cyclizing any 3-phytyl-2,5,6-trimethylhydroquinone-1-acetate or a double bond isomer thereof obtained as an intermediate reaction product, to produce &#x3b1;-tocopheryl acetate. In the catalyst Mis preferably Ag, Cu, Ga, Sc, Lu, Ho, Tm, Ybor Hf.

Process for the manufacture of &#x3b1;-tocopheryl acetate

The present invention is concerned with a novel process for the manufacture of tocol, tocol derivatives and tocopherols, especially &#x3b1;-tocopherol, by the reaction of a hydroquinone featuring 0 to 3 methyl groups, especially 2,3,5-trimethylhydroquinone, with isophytol, phytol or a(n) (iso)phytol derivative, most preferably with isophytol, in the presence of gadolinium trifluoromethanesulfonate, Gd(OSOCF), as the catalyst in a biphasic solvent system. This biphasic solvent system consists essentially of a polar organic solvent and a non-polar organic solvent. The polar organic solvent is preferably ethylene carbonate and/or propylene carbonate. The non-polar solvent is preferably at least a solvent selected from the group consisting of hexane, heptane, octane, cyclohexane and methylcyclohexane.

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Huningue, France

Lisa Giraudi