Highly efficient and chemoselective acetalization and thioacetalization of aldehydes catalyzed by propylphosphonic anhydride (®T3P) at room temperature

Propylphosphonic anhydride (®T3P), a low toxic peptide coupling agent, has been demonstrated to be an efficient catalyst for the chemoselective acetalization and thioacetalization of aldehydes in the presence of ketones. Cyclic and acyclic acetals of diverse aldehydes were obtained in good to excellent yields at room temperature in the presence of a catalytic amount of T3P.