Indium-mediated chemoselective deprotection and demonochlorination of 2,2,2-trichloroethyl esters

On treatment with indium metal, 2,2,2-trichloroethyl carboxylates smoothly undergo deprotection to carboxylic acids and reductive demonochlorination to 2,2-dichloroethyl esters, sharply depending on their structures.