p-Methylbenzyl Group: Oxidative Removal and Orthogonal Alcohol Deprotection.

We describe the practical removal of p-methylbenzyl (MBn) protections of alcohols by treatment with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-p-benzoquinone. When a molecule bears benzyl and MBn groups, the oxidant selectively removes the latter groups. Further, the MBn groups tolerate ceric ammonium nitrate, resulting in chemoselective removal of the p-methoxybenzyl group in the presence of the MBn groups. These orthogonal alcohol deprotections would provide novel synthetic strategies of organic compounds.