Vitamin E intermediates and methods for the preparation of (2R,4'RS,8'RS)-.alpha.-tocopherol and (all-rac)-.alpha.-tocopherol via the new intermediate products

Abstract

The invention relates to intermediate compounds having the general formula I ##STR1## in which R.sup.1 is H, an alkyl, arylalkyl or an aliphatic acyl radical, preferably a benzyl or acetyl group and wherein X and Y together span an additional bond between the X and Y carrying C atoms (Ia) or in which Y is OH and X is H (Ib) and in which the dotted line can represent an additional bond particularly [2R,1'Z,3'E,7'E]-6-benzyloxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(4',8',12'-trimethyl-tr ideca-1',3',7'-trien-1'-yl)chroman and 6-benzyloxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(1'-hydroxy-4',8',12'-trimethyl-trideca- 3',7'-diene-1'-yl)chroman, as well as compounds and methods of preparing compounds having the general formula II ##STR2## in which Z is one of the groups ##STR3## wherein R.sup.2 is an alkyl group with 1 to 4 carbon atoms preferably CH.sub.3 or C.sub.2 H.sub.5, particularly (3,7,11-trimethyl-trideca-2,6,10-trien-1-yl)triphenylphosphonium chloride and (3,7,11-trimethyl-trideca-2,6,10-trien-1-yl) phosphoric acid dimethylester as well as methods for the preparation of (2R,4'RS,8'RS)-.alpha.-tocopherol and (all-rac)-.alpha.-tocopherol via the new intermediate product.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.