Silver(I)-catalyzed deprotection of p-methoxybenzyl ethers: a mild and chemoselective method.

The p-methoxybenzyl protecting group (PMB) on various alcohols and an acid was efficiently and selectively cleaved by the action of a catalytic amount of silver(I) hexafluoroantimonate combined with 0.5 equiv of 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene in dichloromethane at 40 °C.