Regioselective reductive openings of 4,6-benzylidene acetals: synthetic and mechanistic aspects.
The use of benzylidene acetals as protecting groups in carbohydrate chemistry is utterly important. The main advantage of benzylidene acetal is the ability for regioselective openings. 4,6-benzylidene acetal can be opened selectively under reductive conditions to yield either free 4-OH or 6-OH. There are a plethora of methods available for regioselective openings, but only a few of these are widel