TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preparation: No preparation method is given. Preferred Method: The step of contacting DL- alpha -tocopherol with succinic anhydride further comprises a base at an elevated temperature to give (II). The step of contacting DL- alpha -tocopherol with succinic anhydride and a base is performed in toluene at 45-75 degrees C. The step of contacting (II) with MPEG-550, MPEG-750 or MPEG-1000, is performed in refluxing toluene to remove water. In the method, (II) and MPEG-550, MPEG-750 or MPEG-1000 is further contacted with para-toluenesulfonic acid. (II) is obtained without further isolation and the subsequent step to form (V), (VI) or (VII), is performed in a single reaction vessel. The step of contacting (IV) with DL- alpha -tocopherol is performed in refluxing toluene with the azeotropic removal of water. Preferred Components: (I) is 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, 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 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. The base is organic base comprising triethylamine with or without catalytic 4-dimethylaminopyridine. In the method of preparing surfactant, the ratio of DL- alpha -tocopherol to succinic anhydride is 1:1-1:1.5. EXAMPLE - Mixture containing DL- alpha -tocopherol succinate (2.97 g), polyethylene glycol monomethylether-750 (4 g) and para-toluenesulfonic acid (0.15 g) in toluene (20 ml) was refluxed for 5 hours using Dean-Stark trap. The reaction mixture was then cooled and poured into saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution and extracted with dichloromethane. The combined organic layers were washed with saturated sodium bicarbonate (3 x 50 ml), brine (2 x 30 ml). Then the reaction mixture was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo to obtain 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 (6.6 g).