Sodium Sulphide as a Mild and Selective Desilylating Reagent
diphenyl-t-butoxyslyl (i.e.DPTBOS) derivatives of alcohols are selectively cleaved by nonahydrated sodium sulphide in ethanol, the order of reactivity being: primary ca. secondary>>tertiary.The corresponding t-butyldimethylsilyl and diphenyl-t-butylsilyl derivatives remain unaffected in these conditions.