FeCl₃-Catalyzed Self-Cleaving Deprotection of Methoxyphenylmethyl-Protected Alcohols

Abstract

4-Methoxyphenylmethyl ethers are widely utilized as alcohol protecting groups. FeCl3 effectively catalyzes the deprotection of methoxyphenylmethyl-type ethers in a self-cleaving manner to produce oligomeric derivatives and alcohols. Remarkably, the highly pure mother alcohols can be obtained without silica gel column chromatography by using the 2,4-dimethoxyphenylmethyl group as a protective group.