Synthesis of <i>α</i>-Tocopherol: Scandium(III) Trifluoromethanesulfonate as an Efficient Catalyst in the Reaction of Hydroquinone with Allylic Alcohol

Abstract

Abstract Scandium(III) trifluoromethanesulfonate was found to be an efficient catalyst as a Lewis acid for the condensation reaction of trimethylhydroquinone with isophytol to afford α-tocopherol. The condensation reaction proceeded smoothly using only a 0.001 molar amount of the catalyst. The catalyst was easily recovered from an aqueous layer after the reaction was completed, and could be reused.