Isophytol (isophytol) is the raw material of vitamin E, and the farnesene process is expected to become its mainstream synthesis process.

Isophytol, also known as isophytol, refers to a diterpenoid unsaturated olefinic tertiary alcohol composed of four isoprene molecules connected end to end. Its chemical formula is C20H40O. It is a biochemical reagent. Isophytol appears as a colorless oily liquid with a faint floral smell. It is easily soluble in organic solvents such as ketones and alcohols, but insoluble in water. Isophytol has the characteristics of good chemical stability and flammability, and is often used as the main raw material of vitamin E and vitamin K.

The synthesis process of isophytoalcohol includes three types: farnesene process, pseudoionone process and linalool process. The farnesene process refers to using farnesene and acetoacetate as the main raw materials, and under the action of a catalyst, the finished product is obtained through processes such as condensation, reduction, and acetynylation. This method is green and environmentally friendly, has a simple production process, and has low production costs. Advantages, it is expected to become the mainstream preparation method of isophytol in the future; the pseudoionone process and the linalool process have problems such as high technical barriers, high production costs, and high equipment requirements, and are mostly adopted by overseas developed countries.

According to the “2023-2028 China isophytol (isophytol) industry market in-depth research and development prospect forecast report span>》shows that isophytol and trimethylhydroquinone are the main raw materials of vitamin E, and the one-step condensation method is a common synthesis method of vitamin E. Vitamin E is mainly used in the fields of feed and health products. In the early stages of industry development, due to factors such as high technical barriers and high production costs, my country’s vitamin E was highly dependent on imports. In recent years, with the improvement of independent research and development capabilities of local enterprises, the development speed of my country’s vitamin E industry has accelerated, and output has maintained a long-term growth trend. In 2022, my country’s vitamin E production will reach 130,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 4.1%. Benefiting from the improved prosperity of the downstream industry, the market demand for isophytol in my country continues to grow.

In the global market, Germany’s BASF AG (BASF), Germany’s Merck Group (Merck), and the Netherlands’ Royal DSM Group (DSM) occupy a dominant position in the isophytol market. The main manufacturers of isophytol in my country include Nengte Technology Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Xinhecheng Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., etc. Nengte Technology focuses on the R&D, production and sales of pharmaceutical intermediates, and has independent production capabilities for trimethylhydroquinone, isophytol and other products. In 2016, the company cooperated with the American Amyris company and successfully invented the use of farnesene to produce isophytol. alcohol method.

Industry analysts said that as the main raw material of vitamin E and vitamin K, isophytol has an increasingly strong market demand. In recent years, with the improvement of independent research and development capabilities of local enterprises, my country’s isophytol production technology has continued to make breakthroughs, driving the development of the industry to accelerate. In the future, as local companies continue to exert their efforts, my country’s isophytol industry will gradually develop in a high-quality direction.