Tocopherols by hydride reduction of dialkylamino derivatives

Abstract

Aminomethylation with Mannich reagents derived from secondary amines and paraformaldehyde under improved conditions has been used to convert non-α-tocopherol homologues into α-tocopherol, the biologically most important vitamin E compound. Mono- and bis(aminomethylated) β-, γ-and δ-tocopherol were then subsequently transformed into the corresponding tocopherols (α- and β-tocopherol) by reductive deamination. As an alternative to classical catalytic hydrogenation in the last step, efficient laboratory protocols using complex hydrides have been derived and applied to the preparation of labelled vitamin E compounds. © Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 2007.