34816-26-7Relevant articles and documents
Efficient two-step synthesis of methylphytylbenzoquinones: Precursor intermediates in the biosynthesis of vitamin E
Peddibhotla, Satyamaheshwar,Cheng, Zigang,DellaPenna, Dean,Tepe, Jetze J.
, p. 237 - 239 (2003)
Methylphytylbenzoquinone was synthesized from δ-tocopherol by a simple two-step sequence. Oxidative cleavage of the benzopyran ring with cerium sulfate followed by dehydration using Burgess reagent afforded the methylphytylbenzoquinone as a mixture of positional and geometric isomers which were separated by HPLC. The biological activity of the product corresponds to the natural biosynthetic precursor of vitamin E. The above method is a general procedure applicable to the preparation of any of the tocopherol derivatives.