Preparation of alpha-tocopherol and alpha-tocopheryl acetate in liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide

US5523420A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• BASF SE

Inventors

• Rainer Lowack · Mannheim, DE
• Joachim Meyer · Frankenthal (Pfalz), DE
• Manfred Eggersdorfer · Mannheim, DE
• Paul Grafen · Bad Dürkheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 12, 1995
• Grant date: Jun 4, 1996
• Expiry date: May 12, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P20/54
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process for preparing .alpha.-tocopherol or tocopheryl acetate by cyclocondensation of trimethylhydroquinone with phytol or isophytol in the presence of an acid catalyst and of a solvent and, where appropriate, subsequent acetylation, which comprises carrying out the cyclocondensation and, where appropriate, the subsequent acetylation in liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide as solvent.