Tetrabutylammonium tribromide (TBATB) as an efficient generator of HBr for an efficient chemoselective reagent for acetalization of carbonyl compounds.

Acyclic and cyclic acetals of various carbonyl compounds were obtained in excellent yields under a mild reaction condition in the presence of trialkyl orthoformate and a catalytic amount of tetrabutylammonium tribromide (TBATB) in absolute alcohol. Chemoselective acetalization of an aldehyde in the presence of ketone, unsymmetrical acetal formation, shorter reaction times, mild reaction conditions, the stability of acid-sensitive protecting groups, high efficiencies, facile isolation of the desired products, and the catalytic nature of the reagent make the present methodology a practical alternative.