Abstract: A process for the manufacture of (all-rac)-?-tocopherol by the acid-catalyzed reaction of trimethylhydroquinone with isophytol or phytol is characterized by carrying out the reaction in the presence of methane trisulphonate as the catalyst in an organic solvent. The product of the process is the most active and industrially most important member of the vitamin E group.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel processes for the manufacture of chroman derivatives such as ?-tocopherol (TCP) and alkanoates thereof, especially ?-tocopheryl acetate (TCPA), whereby at least one step of the processes is carried out in the presence of a Lewis acid or a mixture of a Lewis acid with a Bronsted acid as the catalyst under pressure, preferably at an absolute pressure of at least 1.1 bar. As starting materials for the manufacture of TCP and its alkanoates either a mixture of 2,3,5-trimethylhydroquinone (TMHQ) or 2,3,6-trimethylhydroquinone-1-alkanoate (TMHQA) and a compound selected from the group consisting of phytol (pH), isophytol (IP) and (iso)phytol derivatives or 2-phytyl-3,5,6-trimethyl-hydroquinone (PTMHQ)/3-phytyl-2,5,6-trimethylhydroquinone-1-alkanoate (PTMHQA) and/or an isomer thereof are used. Suitable Lewis acids are indium(III) salts and scandium(III) salts. Suitable acid mixtures are iron/iron(II) chloride/hydrogen chloride and zinc(II) chloride/hydrogen chloride.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of an acetylenically unsaturated alcohol comprising reacting formaldehyde, an aldehyde or a ketone (a carbonyl compound) with acetylene in the presence of ammonia and an alkali metal hydroxide, the molar ratio of the alkali metal hydroxide to the carbonyl compound being less than 1:200. The reaction products, which depending on the starting carbonyl compound are propargyl alcohol or 1-monosubstituted or 1,1-disubstituted derivatives thereof, are of use as intermediates in the synthesis of many useful end products, inter alia in the field of vitamins and carotenoids.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of an acetylenically unsaturated alcohol comprising reacting formaldehyde, an aldehyde or a ketone (a carbonyl compound) with acetylene in the presence of ammonia and a strongly basic macroporous anion exchange resin, the latter preferably featuring a polystyrene matrix and quaternary ammonium groups, preferably of type I or Type II. The reaction products, which depending on the starting carbonyl compound are propargyl alcohol or 1-monosubstituted or 1,1-disubstituted derivatives thereof, are of use as intermediates in the synthesis of many useful end products, inter alia in the field of vitamins and carotenoids.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of (all-rac)-?-tocopherol comprises submitting isolated, purified phytyltrimethylhydroquinone to acid catalysis, thereby promoting ring closure to (all-rac)-?-t-tocopherol. The process can be conducted in the absence or presence of an added solvent, and when a solvent or solvent mixture is used the solvent or at least one solvent component of the solvent mixture is preferably one with a dipole moment greater than 9×10+C-m (or 2.7 D). The nature of the catalyst is immaterial, but the catalyst is preferably sulphuric acid, phosphoric acid, a polyperfluoroalkylenesulphonic acid, a “NH-acid”, a heteropoly acid, zinc chloride, boron trifluoride, aluminium trichloride, or a mixture of any f the aforementioned Brönsted acids with any of the aforementioned Lewis acids. The product of the process is the most active an industrially most important member of the vitamin E group.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel process for the manufacture of alkenylated aromatic compounds featuring at least one hydroxy group, their ring-closure reactions to chroman derivatives, as well as the acylation of the latter and the aromatic compounds featuring at least one hydroxy group themselves. The present invention relates especially to a process for the manufacture of tocol, tocopherols and their alkanoates such as ?-tocopherol (TCP) and alkanoates (TCPA) thereof, preferably ?-tocopheryl acetate (TCPAc). The processes of the present invention are characterized in that at least one step of the processes is carried out in the presence of an indium salt as the catalyst. Thus, an object of the present invention is the use of an indium salt as the catalyst in Friedel-Crafts alkylation reactions of aromatic compounds featuring at least one hydroxy group and ring-closure reactions of the latter to produce chroman-ring compounds in organic solvents.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of an acetylenically unsaturated alcohol comprising reacting formaldehyde, an aldehyde or a ketone (a carbonyl compound) with acetylene in the presence of ammonia and a strongly basic macroporous anion exchange resin, the latter preferably featuring a polystyrene matrix and quaternary ammonium groups, preferably of type I or Type II. The reaction products, which depending on the starting carbonyl compound are propargyl alcohol or 1-monosubstituted or 1,1-disubstituted derivatives thereof, are of use as intermediates in the synthesis of many useful end products, inter alia in the field of vitamins and carotenoids.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a novel process for the manufacture of tocol, tocol derivatives and tocopherols, especially ?-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(OSO2CF3)3, 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.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of 2,3,5-trimethylhydroquinone diacylate comprising reacting ketoisophorone with an acylating agent in the presence of a NH- or CH-acidic catalyst, particularly certain bis (perfluorinated hydrocarbyl sulphonyl) imides and metal salts thereof and, respectively, certain tris (perfluoroakanesulphonyl or pentafluorobenzenesulphonyl) methanes and metal salts thereof. Thc acylating agent is particularly an acid anhydride, an acyl halide or an enol ester. The so-obtained 2,3,5-trimethylhydroquinone diacylate can be converted into (all-rac)-?-tocopherol by transesterification to yield 2,3,5-trimethylhydroquinone and reaction of the latter with isophytol. (all-rac )-?-Tocopherol itself is the most active member of the vitamin E group.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of ionic liquids by an anion exchange reaction of a quaternary ammonium, phosphonium, imidazolium, or pyridinium halide, providing the appropriate cation component, with an acid or a salt thereof, providing the appropriate anion component, involves carrying out said reaction under ultrasonication. Ionic liquids belong to a known class of chemical compounds and are useful as solvents for organic syntheses; they are of particular interest in view of their capability of replacing classical solvents and avoiding the toxicological and disposal problems associated with such latter solvents.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of a=:1-1,3-dihydrofuro[3,4-c]pyridine (I) 1 which is 4,7-disubstituted with a readily cleavable group (R) involves reacting a bis(3-R-substituted 2-propynyl) ether of the formula (R—C≡C—CH2)2O (II) with acetonitrile in the presence of a cobalt(I) complex catalyst of the formula XCo(I)Lig1/2 (III), wherein X signifies cyclopentadienyl, acetylcyclopentadienyl, indenyl or phenylborinato and Lig1/2 signifies the cyclooctadiene or norbornadiene ligand (Lig1) or two carbonyl or ethene ligands (Lig2), in an aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic hydrocarbon solvent, or in excess acetonitrile as the reagent and simultaneously the solvent, or in water alone or in admixture with an ethereal co-solvent, or in a mixture of two or more of the aforementioned types of solvents, at a temperature in the range from about 0° C. to about 80° C.

Abstract: The present invention is a process for converting trimethylhydroquinone diacetate (TMHQ-DA) into trimethylhydroquinone-1-monoacetate (TMHQ-1-MA) by contacting TMHQ-DA with a lipase to effect an enzymatic monosaponification of the TMHQ-DA. Also provided are methods of making (all-rac)-&agr;-tocopherol and (all-rac)-&agr;-tocopherol acetate.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of (all-rac)-&agr;-tocopherol by the catalyzed reaction of trimethylhydroquinone with isophytol or phytol is characterized by carrying out the reaction in the presence of hydrogen tris(oxalato)phosphate, or an adduct thereof with a solvent, as the catalyst in an organic solvent. The product of the process is the most active and industrially most important member of the vitamin E group.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of making (all-rac)-&agr;-tocopherol in a reaction having the following steps: a) reacting trimethylhydroquinone and a phytol selected from the group consisting of isophytol and phytol in the presence of a bis(perfluorinated hydrocarbyl sulphonyl)imide catalyst or a metal salt thereof of formula I: [(R1SO2)2N]xR2  (I)  wherein each R1, independently, signifies a perfluoroalkyl group CnF2n+1 or a pentafluorophenyl, or both symbols R1 together signify a poly-difluoromethylene group—(CF2)m—, with the proviso that both symbols R1 cannot simultaneously signify trifluoromethyl, R2 signifies a proton or a cationic form of a metal selected from the group consisting of boron, magnesium, aluminum, silicon, scandium, titanium, vanadium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, yttrium, zirconium, rhodium, palladium, silver, tin, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, europium, dysprosium, thulium, ytterbium, hafnium, platinum, an

Abstract: The present invention is a process for converting trimethylhydroquinone diacetate (TMHQ-DA) into trimethylhydroquinone-1-monoacetate (TMHQ-1-MA) by contacting TMHQ-DA with a lipase to effect an enzymatic monosaponification of the TMHQ-DA. Also provided are methods of making (all-rac)-&agr;-tocopherol and (all-rac)-&agr;-tocopherol acetate.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of (all-rac)-&agr;-tocopherol by the catalyzed reaction of trimethylhydroquinone with isophytol or phytol is characterized by carrying out the reaction in the presence of hydrogen tris(oxalato)phosphate, or an adduct thereof with a solvent, as the catalyst in an organic solvent. The product of the process is the most active and industrially most important member of the vitamin E group.

Abstract: Substituted pyranes such as 2-ethinyl-tetrahydro-2,6,6-trimethylpyran are prepared from dehydrolinalool or higher homologues thereof by heating or treatment with microwaves in the presence of a solid acid.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of d,l-&agr;-tocopherol by the acid-catalyzed condensation of trimethylhydroquinone with isophytol or phytol in ethylene or propylene carbonate or a mixture of both carbonates, or in a mixture of one or both of the carbonates and a non-polar solvent, comprises carrying out the condensation in the presence of at most 0.4 weight percent based on the weight of isophytol or phytol of 12-tungstophosphoric acid, 12-molybdophosphoric acid or 12-tungstosilicic acid. The product of the process is the most active and industrially important member of the vitamin E group.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing tocol acylate or tocopherol acylate having the following steps: a) combining tocol or tocopherol with an acylating agent to form a reaction mixture; b) irradiating the reaction mixture with microwave energy to from tocol acylate or tocopherol acylate; and c) isolating the tocol acylate or tocopherol acylate from the reaction mixture.

Abstract: Substituted pyranes such as 2-ethinyl-tetrahydro-2,6,6-trimethylpyran are prepared from dehydrolinalool or higher homologues thereof by heating or treatment with microwaves in the presence of a solid acid.