Patent ID: 6159347
Filing Date: 2000-12-12
Classification: C07D

Abstract:
A method for separating a tocol from a first tocol admixture comprising at least one tocol, a first fatty acid, and an esterifying compound, comprising(a) heating the first tocol admixture comprising the tocol, the first fatty acid, and the esterifying compound for a sufficient time and temperature to substantially esterify the first fatty acid with the esterifying compound to produce a second tocol admixture comprising the tocol, esterified first fatty acid, and unesterified first fatty acid;(b) distilling the second tocol admixture for a sufficient time and temperature to substantially remove the unesterified first fatty acid from the second tocol admixture to produce a third tocol admixture comprising the tocol and esterified fatty acid with substantially removed unesterified ed first fatty acid;(c) distilling the third tocol admixture for a sufficient time and temperature to substantially remove the tocol from the third tocol admixture to produce a fourth tocol admixture comprising the removed tocol and a non-tocol component; and(d) extracting the tocol from the fourth tocol admixture with an extraction solvent comprising a polar, organic solvent that is miscible with water to produce a two phase system comprising a first phase containing a majority of the extraction solvent and a second phase, wherein the selectivity of the extraction solvent for the tocol with respect to the non-tocol component of the fourth tocol admixture is greater than unity, and removing the first phase from the second phase,with the proviso that the extraction solvent is not a neat alcohol,wherein step (b) can be conducted before step (c), or step (c) can be conducted before step (b), wherein steps (b) and (c) are conducted after step (a) and prior to step (d).