p-Methoxybenzyl-N-phenyl-2,2,2-trifluoroacetimidate: a versatile reagent for mild acid catalyzed etherification

PMB-NPTFA 1a is a new month bench stable and powerful reagent for the formation of PMB ethers. Several alcohols were protected in high yields and short reaction times, using low reagent loading and small catalytic amounts of Bi(OTf)3. The mild conditions of the reaction confer a good orthogonality to acid- and base-sensitive protecting groups.