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Carboxyl groups can be protected as their trichloroethyl esters e.g. by tosic acid-catalyzed esterification: Synthesis, 24 (1979), or DCC-DMAP: J. Am. Chem. Soc., 111, 669 (1989). For esterification of amino acids, using the active ester with 2-Hydroxypyridine, A14522, see: Synthesis, 24 (1979). Cleavage occurs with Zn in AcOH or an aqueous THF buffer under mild conditions: J. Am. Chem. Soc., 88, 852 (1966); Synthesis, 457 (1976); or with NaBH4 in DMF, catalyzed by Se: Synthesis, 693 (1989). See also Appendix 6.• Similarly, carbonyl compounds can be protected as their trichloroethyl acetals, stable to base, but readily cleaved under neutral aprotic conditions by Zn in ethyl acetate or THF: J. Org. Chem., 38, 554 (1973).
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Reaction with POCl3 to give the phosphorodichloridate, followed by reaction with 3-Hydroxypropionitrile, L12570, gives 2-cyanoethyl 2,2,2-trichloroethyl phosphorochloridate, a valuable reagent, usually used without purification, for the phosphorylation of nucleosides: Synthesis, 831 (1980).