alpha-Tocopurple, an oxidation product of a-tocopherol (vitamin E), has been isolated and its structure proved to be 2,7-dimethyl-6-hydroxy-2-(4,8,12-trimethyltridecyl)-5,8-chromanquinone (111). The three isomeric tetramethyl-beta hydroxychromans (VII, IX, X) have been synthesized and obtained as analytically pure solids. Oxidation of 2,2,7,8-tetramethyl-6-hydroxychroman (VI I) and of 2,2,5,7-tetramethyl-6-hydroxychroman (IX) with ferric chloride in methanol yielded the same hydroxyquinone (XII), thereby proving its structure.