A mild and efficient chemoselective protection of primary alcohols as pivaloyl esters using La(NO3)3•6H2O as a catalyst under solvent-free conditions

Primary alcohols are selectively and efficiently protected as their pivaloyl esters with pivaloyl chloride in the presence of catalytic amounts of La(NO3)(3)center dot 6H(2)O at room temperature under solvent-free conditions in excellent yields.