Our interests in tocopherol chemistry and biochemistry spans from organic synthesis of deuterated, fluorescent, photoaffinity labels and affinity chromatographic ligands of tocopherol, to protein expression, structure and function. For brief descriptions of our interests in each of these areas please click on the links below.

Affinity Ligand Synthesis
Deuterated Tocopherols
Fluorescent Analogues
Tocopherol Binding to Proteins and Enzymes

The first view you should see is a "stick"-structure of alpha-tocopherol, coloured CPK, such that the oxygen atoms are red, the carbons light grey and the hydrogens white. (  Click here to go back to the CPK model after using the buttons shown below)

a-Tocopherol consists of a chroman ring and a phytyl sidechain.  Here the chroman is coloured red   The phytyl tail is coloured green.   a-Tocopherol contains three aryl methyl groups at C-5, C-7, and C-8, here coloured purple.  (The oxygens of the chroman are coloured red)
  There are two sites of stereochemistry on the phytyl sidechain at C-4' and C-8'.  Both are of R-absolute stereochemistry in natural a-tocopherol   The stereochemistry at C-2 is also of the R-configuration and is particularly important for affinity to the a-tocopherol transfer proteins (a-TTPs)   A spacefilling model of a-tocopherol with the important methyl groups in purple and the chroman oxygens in red

General Links to Tocopherol Related Sites(Click the logos)

VerisVitamin E Research Information Service
eisaiEisai Co. Ltd. - Japan's leading tocopherol producer
They have an excellent site providing general information on tocopherol structrues and bioactiviy

Other Links to Major Tocopherol Producers

roche Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.adm Archer Daniels Midland

cognis Cognis (formerly Henkel Corp.)

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