Roche Vitamins Inc.

Marcel Baak

Werner Bonrath

Horst Pauling

Paul Kreienbuhl

A process for the manufacture of d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol by the acid catalyzed condensation of trimethylhydroquinone with isophytol is provided, in which the condensation is carried out in the presence of not more than about 0.4 weight percent, based on the weight of isophytol, of a sulfur-containing acid catalyst such as sulfuric acid, methanesulphonic acid, ethanesulphonic acid, trifluoromethanesulphonic acid, p-toluenesulphonic acid, fluorosulphonic acid and mixtures thereof, and in a solvent which is ethylene or propylene carbonate or a mixture of both carbonates, or a mixture of one or both of the carbonates and a non-polar solvent.

Process for the synthesis of vitamin E

A process for the manufacture of d,1-.alpha.-tocopherol by the catalyzed condensation of trimethylhydroquinone with isophytol comprises carrying out the condensation in the presence of bis-(trifluoromethylsulphonyl)amine �HN(SO.sub.2 CF.sub.3).sub.2 ! or a metal salt thereof of the formula Met �N(SO.sub.2 CF.sub.3).sub.2 !.sub.n (I), wherein Met signifies a metal atom selected from the group of lithium, boron, magnesium, aluminium, silicon, scandium, titanium, vanadium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, yttrium, zirconium, rhodium, palladium, silver, tin, lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, praseodymium, europium, dysprosium, ytterbium, hafnium, platinum and gold and n signifies the corresponding valency (1, 2, 3, or 4) of the metal atom Met, as the catalyst or of a combination of a metal salt of formula I and a strong Bronsted acid as the catalyst system in an organic solvent. The product of the process is the most active member of the vitamin E group.

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Ins, Switzerland

Marcel Baak