A mild and chemoselective method for deprotection of aryl acetates and benzoates under non-hydrolytic condition

Chemoselective deprotection of aryl acetates and benzoates can be achieved under non-hydrolytic condition by treatment with K2CO3 in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) at 100 degreesC. Selective cleavage of aryl acetates and benzoates take place in the presence of alkyl carboxylates during intramolecular competitions. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.