Synthesis of alpha-tocopherol: Scandium(III) trifluoromethanesulfonate as an efficient catalyst in the reaction of hydroquinone with allylic alcohol

Scandium(III) trifluoromethanesulfonate was found to be an efficient catalyst as a Lewis acid for the condensation reaction of trimethylhydroquinone with isophytol to afford alpha-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.