A highly efficient, mild, and selective cleavage of beta-methoxyethoxymethyl (MEM) ethers by cerium(III) chloride in acetonitrile.

[structure: see text]. A highly selective cleavage of MEM ethers has been achieved in high yields using CeCl3.7H2O in refluxing acetonitrile under mild and neutral reaction conditions. The method is very rapid and compatible with other hydroxyl protecting groups such as Bn, TBDPS, Ac, Me, Tr, PMB, benzylidene, THP, MOM, BOM, and NHAc present in the substrate.