4-Picolyl esters carboxy-protecting groups

In a formal sense, alkyl ester type carboxy protecting groups, e.g. benzyl, allyl, 4-picolyl, and (9,10-dioxo-2-anthryl)methyl esters, can be viewed at as modified methyl esters. However, because of their specific properties and cleavage conditions these esters will be discussed separately. In this section a series of acetal, phthalimidomethyl, various phenacyl, acetonyl, 9-anthryhnethyl, and cyclopropyhnethyl esters will be presented. 

To avoid any loss of benzyl ester protection during acidolytic removal of the benzyloxy-carbonyl and ferf-butoxycarbonyl groups, electron-withdrawing substituents were used to destabilize the intermediate benzyl cation and thus to increase the acid stability. In addition to the very useful 4-nitrobenzyl esters (vide infra), the picolyl ester (see Section 2.2.1.2.2.3) as well as halo-P l or cyano-P°°l substituted benzyl esters have been reported, the latter being rarely used for a-carboxy protection. Conversely, an increase in sensitivity toward acids can be achieved by introduction of electron-releasing substituents, such as methoxy or methyl groups. Addition of scavengers to quench intermediate carbocations and to prevent electrophilic substitutions at sensitive amino acid side chains is beneficial in the deprotection of such esters. 

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