A chemoselective deprotection of trimethylsilyl acetylenes catalyzed by silver salts

Trimethylsilyl acetylenes can be selectively deprotected in the presence of a catalytic amount of silver salts. AgNO3 and AgOTf proved to be the most effective catalyst in a mixture of methanol, water and dichloromethane. Other functional groups, and especially silyl ethers, are not affected in these conditions.