First synthesis of (8-2H3)-(all-rac)-d-tocopherol

Trideuterated tocopherols were needed to be used as internal standards for our study about simultaneous quantitative determination of tocopherols in foodstuffs by mass spectrometry. Whilst procedures for trideuterated α-tocopherol have been recently optimized, no method is reported as regards δ-tocopherol. Different synthetic approaches are discussed, as well as the first procedure for the synthesis of (8-2H3)-(all-rac)-δ-tocopherol. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2003)