Metal Trifluoromethanesulfonate-Catalyzed Regioselective Reductive Ring Opening of Benzylidene Acetals

A systematic study of various metal trifluoromethanesulfonates as efficient catalysts in the regioselective reductive ring opening of benzylidene acetals is described, including the effects of solvents, reducing agents, and temperature. These catalysts are found to be effective in cleaving the 4,6-O-acetal rings of hexopyranosides at either O4 or O6, respectively. When used in conjunction with a I M solution of BH3 center dot THF in THF without extra addition of any solvent, it affects the ring fission at the 06 position to generate the corresponding primary alcohols, whereas O4-opening takes place in acetonitrile in the presence of dimethylethylsilane as the reductant leading to the secondary hydroxyl derivatives in high selectivity and yields. These methodologies can be applied to a wide range of substrates containing various functional groups.