Epoxidation of an α-tocopherol model compound, 2,2,5,7,8-pentamethylchroman-6-ol, with potassium superoxide; X-ray crystal structure of 4a,5;7,8-diepoxy-4a,7,8,8a-tetrahydro-8a-hydroxy-2,2,5,7,8-pentamethylchroman-6(5H)-one

Abstract

An α-tocopherol model compound, 2,2,5,7,8-pentamethylchroman-6-ol, was oxidized in the presence of dicyclohexyl-18-crown-6 with KO2 to give a diepoxide, whose structure was determined by spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography.