Triethyl- (or trimethyl-)silyl triflate-catalyzed reductive cleavage of triphenylmethyl (trityl) ethers with triethylsilane

[reaction: see text] A triphenylmethyl (trityl) ether was reductively and instantaneously cleaved by triethylsilane in the presence of a catalytic amount of TES- (or TMS)-triflate. The reaction conditions are mild enough to achieve reduction in the presence of a variety of acid-sensitive functional groups. Upon a mild acidic treatment of the crude product, the corresponding alcohol is obtained in high yield.