Debenzylation using catalytic hydrogenolysis in trifluoroethanol, and the total synthesis of (-)-raumacline

N-Debenzylations using catalytic hydrogenolysis often fail to take place unless alcoholic solvents are used, but this can lead to N-alkylation as a side reaction; using trifluoroethanol as the solvent overcomes this problem, and leads to highly reliable hydrogenolyses for a wide range of substrates, including the final deprotection step in our total synthesis of (-)-raumacline. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.