Benzyl esters of a variety of acids can be chemoselectively cleaved
on treatment with nickel boride in methanol at ambient temperature
to give the parent carboxylic acids in high yields. Other protecting
functionalities such as methyl, ethyl, tert-butyl, and
trityl esters as well as benzyl ethers, tert-butyl
ethers, and N-benzylamides are unaffected
under these conditions.
benzyl esters - chemoselectivity - carboxylic
acids - cleavage - nickel boride
