Editing Tocopherol (section)

===Esters===
[[File:Tocopherylacetat.svg|thumb|200px|class=skin-invert-image|α-tocopheryl acetate, an [[acetate]] [[ester]] of α-tocopherol ]]

Manufacturers also commonly convert the phenol form of the vitamins (with a free [[hydroxyl]] group) to [[ester]]s, using acetic or succinic acid. These tocopheryl esters are more stable and are easy to use in vitamin supplements. α-Tocopheryl esters are de-esterified in the gut and then absorbed as the free tocopherol.<ref name=Mathias>{{cite journal | vauthors = Mathias PM, Harries JT, Peters TJ, Muller DP | title = Studies on the in vivo absorption of micellar solutions of tocopherol and tocopheryl acetate in the rat: demonstration and partial characterization of a mucosal esterase localized to the endoplasmic reticulum of the enterocyte | journal = Journal of Lipid Research | volume = 22 | issue = 5 | pages = 829–37 | date = July 1981 | doi = 10.1016/S0022-2275(20)37355-7 | pmid = 7288289 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Ajandouz EH, Castan S, Jakob S, Puigserver A | title = A fast, sensitive HPLC method for the determination of esterase activity on α-tocopheryl acetate | journal = Journal of Chromatographic Science | volume = 44 | issue = 10 | pages = 631–3 | year = 2006 | pmid = 17254374 | doi = 10.1093/chromsci/44.10.631 |doi-access=free}}</ref> [[Tocopheryl nicotinate]], [[tocopheryl linolate]], and [[tocopheryl palmitate]] esters are also used in cosmetics and some pharmaceuticals.