A Convenient Two-Step Synthesis of Coenzyme Q1

A convenient method for the preparation of Coenzyme Q1 from the cheap and readily available 3,4,5-Trimethoxytoluene was developed. CoQ1 was synthesized in moderate yield by a two-step procedure involving the key reaction of allyl bromide with CoQ0 through a redox chain reaction. The reaction is efficient and could be used for the synthesis of other CoQ compounds.