Methods for selective oxidation of alpha tocotrienol in the presence of non-alpha tocotrienols

摘要

A method of producing alpha-tocotrienol quinone or a stereoisomer thereof, the method comprising selective opening of alpha-tocotrienol chroman to alpha-tocotrienol quinone in the presence of non-alpha tocotrienol chromans by oxidizing alpha-to-cotrienol with a metal salt oxidizing agent, wherein the stoichiometric ratio of metal salt oxidizing agent/alpha-tocotrienol is at least 4:1 and wherein said metal oxidizing agent is added in sequential additions, in order to reduce oxidation of any amounts of non-alpha tocotrienol chromans that might have been present in the starting alpha-tocotrienol chroman material. This process uses conditions favoring oxidation rates of the alpha tocotrienol chroman vs. the non-alpha tocotrienol chromans.