Selenium- and Tellurium-Catalyzed Deprotection of 2-Haloethyl Esters by Sodium Borohydride

Article abstract of DOI:10.1055/s-1990-26965

2-Bromoethyl and 2-chloroethyl esters 1 of carboxylic acids 2 were deprotected easily with sodium borohydride in the presence of a catalytic amount of selenium or tellurium in good yields under mild conditions.The methods have the advantage of manipulative simplicity with less hazard due to toxicity as compared to other methods, where selenium or tellurium is used in stoichiometric amounts.