O-Methoxycarbonyl Cyanohydrin as a New Protective Group for Carbonyls

O-Methoxycarbonyl cyanohydrin, a new protective group of carbonyls, was prepared in high yields by an efficient one-step procedure using methyl cyanoformate and a secondary alkylamine at room temperature. Herein, we report efficient methods for the formation and cleavage of the protective group. Also, the ability of different types of carbonyls to be protected and the protective groupʹs behavior under different chemical conditions were studied.