Protection of alcohols as their 4-nitrobenzyl ethers has been carried out, e.g. in the presence of trifluoroacetic anhydride and 2,6-lutidine: Tetrahedron Lett., 31, 389 (1990). Selective deprotection at room temperature can be accomplished by sodium dithionite in aqueous acetonitrile: Synth. Commun., 12, 219 (1982). Photolytic cleavage has been employed in the carbohydrate series: J. Org. Chem., 37, 2281, 2285 (1972). For reviews of photoremovable protecting groups, see: Synthesis, 1 (1980); Org. Photochem., 9, 225 (1987). Reduction to the aniline, followed by chemical or electrolytic oxidation has also been reported: Tetrahedron Lett., 31, 389 (1990).
