Glycals, 2-hydroxy addition reactions

The glycals react with water, alcohols, phenols, carboxylic acids, and certain bases, in the presence of an acidic catalyst, in the same way as does 2,3-dihydro-4/f-pyran (which gives, for example, 2-hydroxy-, 2-alkoxy-, and 2-aryloxy-tetrahydropyrans in high yield ). (Tetrahydro-pyranyl ethers are useful for protecting alcoholic groupings during reactions in basic media, and are readily hydrolyzed with acid,) The first step of these additions would be expected to be protonation at C-2, followed by attack of the nucleophilic reagent on the resonance-stabilized, C-1 carbonium ion. 

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