A highly efficient deprotection of the 2,2,2-trichloroethyl group at the anomeric oxygen of carbohydrates

Commercially available zinc dust in the presence of ammonium chloride in acetonitrile at reflux removes the 2,2,2-trichloroethyl (TCE) group at anomeric centers with excellent yields (>95%) in short reaction times. This present method is easily implemented on substrates containing acyl and benzyl groups and large-scale reactions also proceed in high yield.