PRODUCTION OF ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To produce α-tocopherol useful for an antisterility vitamin, a blood lipid lowering agent, a blood flow accelerator, an inhibitor for aging of a cell, an antioxidant, etc. SOLUTION: This α-tocopherol is obtained by reacting trimethylhydroquinone represented by formula I with a phytol derivative represented by formula II (L is OH, a halogen, acetoxy, methanesulfonyloxy, toluenesulfonyloxy, etc.) or an isophytol derivative represented by formula III in the existence of a lower fatty acid ester represented by the formula R COOR (R is a 1-4C alkyl; R is a 1-5C alkyl with the proviso that methyl acetate and ethyl acetate are avoided) under a condition of cooling with ice or reflux temperature of the solvent for 1-12hr. Tsobutyl acetate is exemplified as the lower fatty acid ester and used 0.5-100ml based on 1g of the compound of formula I. The compound of formula II or III is used 0.9-1.1 equivalent to 1 equivalent of the compound of formula I.