Sodium sulphide as a mild and selective desilylating reagent

Abstract

diphenyl-t-butoxysilyl (i.e. DPTBOS) derivatives of alcohols are selectively cleaved by nonahydrated sodium sulphide in ethanol, the order of reactivity being: primarys̃econdary≫tertiary. The corresponding t-butyldimethylsilyl and diphenyl-t-butylsilyl derivatives remain unaffected in these conditions. © 1995.