• Carboxyl groups can be protected as tribromoethyl esters, e.g. by reaction of the acid chloride in the presence of N,N-dimethylaniline. The group is readily cleaved with Zn/AcOH: J. Chem. Soc., Pekin 1., 2875 (1993); (cf. 2,2,2-Trichloroethanol, L08163). The group has also been exploited in the activation of carboxylic acids for amidation with amines, by reductive cleavage of the tribromoethyl ester with a P(III) reagent, preferably Hexamethylphosphorous triamide, A12571, and triethylamine. In an analogous esterification method with alcohols, tributylphosphine - DMAP was the preferred system: J. Org. Chem., 64, 1430 (1999).