NOVELTY - Racemic substituted succinic acid mono-(2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(4,8,12-trimethyl-tridecyl)-chroman-6-yl) ester compounds (I) are new.    USE - (I) are useful: as surfactants (claimed) for dissolution of hydrophobic compounds, hydrophobic compositions, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and cosmeceuticals in water (or saline solution); in metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions in water; and in green chemistry applications.    ADVANTAGE - (I): provides surfactants which are environment friendly; employs succinic acid linker, which based on inexpensive raw material; and utilizes one-pot reaction procedures for its preparation, thus eliminating isolation filtration, washing and solvent removal steps, and resulting in shorter overall reaction cycle times and increased product throughput.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Racemic substituted succinic acid mono-(2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(4,8,12-trimethyl-tridecyl)-chroman-6-yl) ester compounds of formula (I) are new.n = 5-50.    INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for:    (1) racemic substituted 2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(4,8,12-trimethyl-tridecyl)-chroman-6-ol compounds of formula (IIa);    (2) preparing surfactant including 2,4,6,8,10,12,14,16,18,20,22,24,26-tridecaoxaoctacosan-28-yl 2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(4,8,12-trimethyltridecyl)chroman-6-yl succinate (V), 2,4,6,8,10,12,14,16,18,20,22,24,26,28,30,32,34-heptadecaoxahexatriacontan-36-yl 2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(4,8,12-trimethyltridecyl)chroman-6-yl succinate (VI) or 2,4,6,8,10,12,14,16,18,20,22,24,26,28,30,32,34,36,38,40,42,44,46-tricosaoxaoctatetracontan-48-yl 2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(4,8,12-trimethyltridecyl)chroman-6-yl succinate (VII), comprising either: (a) contacting DL- alpha -tocopherol with succinic anhydride or succinic acid under conditions sufficient to form 4-oxo-4-(2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(4,8,12-trimethyltridecyl)chroman-6-yloxy)butanoic acid (II), (b) contacting the compound of the formula II with methoxypolyethylene glycol (MPEG)-550, MPEG-750 or MPEG-1000, at an elevated temperature and under sufficient conditions to give (V), (VI) or (VII), respectively, and (c) isolating (V), (VI) or (VII); or (a1) contacting MPEG-550, MPEG 750 or MPEG-1000 with succinic anhydride or succinic acid under conditions sufficient to form substituted succinic acid compounds of formula (HO-C(=O)-CH2-CH2-C(=O)-O-CH2-(-CH2-O-CH2-)n-CH2-O-CH3) (IV), and (b1) contacting (IV) with DL- alpha -tocopherol under sufficient conditions to form (V), (VI) or (VII); and    (3) preparing (VI) comprising reacting 2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(4,8,12-trimethyl-tridecyl)-chroman-6-ol with succinic anhydride in the presence of triethylamine and toluene at 60 degrees C for 5 hours to give (II), and reacting (II) with polyethylene glycol-750 monomethyl in the presence of toluene reflux conditions for 5 hours to give (VI).    Z = OH, Cl, Br, I or OR;    R = 1-3C alkyl, -OC(O)(1-6C alkyl) or -OC(O)CH2C5H5 or OSO2G; and    G = 1-6C alkyl or aryl(optionally substituted).