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Catalytic Performance of Nanoscopic, Aluminium Trifluoride‐Based Catalysts in the Synthesis of (all‐ rac )‐α‐Tocopherol
Author(s) -
Coman S. M.,
Wuttke S.,
Vimont A.,
Daturi M.,
Kemnitz E.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
advanced synthesis and catalysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.541
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1615-4169
pISSN - 1615-4150
DOI - 10.1002/adsc.200800411
Subject(s) - chemistry , catalysis , lewis acids and bases , aluminium , fluoride , nanoscopic scale , inorganic chemistry , condensation , aluminium oxide , tocopherol , organic chemistry , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , antioxidant , materials science , physics , vitamin e , engineering , thermodynamics
A novel nanoscopic, partly hydroxylated aluminium fluoride was prepared in a sol‐gel fluorination synthesis and characterised by IR probe molecules. It was shown that this material has, in contrast to high surface area aluminium fluoride (HS‐AlF 3 ) which is one of the strongest Lewis acids, a low amount of strong Lewis acid sites combined with weak and medium strength Brønsted sites. Both materials were tested in the synthesis of (all‐ rac )‐α‐tocopherol through the condensation of 2,3,6‐trimethylhydroquinone (TMHQ) with isophytol (IP). The activity data indicate the partly hydroxylated aluminium fluoride to be a very efficient and highly selective catalyst for (all ‐rac )‐α‐tocopherol (>99.9%, for an IP conversion of 100%) whereas high surface area aluminium fluoride is a poor catalyst for this reaction.