Propargyloxycarbonyl (Poc) as a protective group for the hydroxyl function in carbohydrate synthesis.

[reaction: see text] The propargyloxycarbonyl (Poc) group can be used for the selective protection of the hydroxyl function in carbohydrates and can be removed under neutral conditions using tetrathiomolybdate MoS(4)(2-) (1) in CH(3)CN at room temperature. Under the conditions of deprotection benzylidine acetals, benzyl ethers, acetyl and levulinoyl esters, and allyl and benzyl carbonates are left untouched. It has also been shown that the new protective group (Poc) is compatible with acidic, basic, and also glycosylation conditions.