The Acetal reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004
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Acetal

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An acetal is a functional group or molecule containing the functional group of a carbon bonded to two -OR groups.

image:Acetal.png

where R, R' and R&apos&apos are all carbon backbones.

Acetals can be used as carbonyl-protecting groups.

Reactions

Synthesis

  1. Nucleophilic addition of an alcohol to a resonance stabilized cation
An acetal can, under certain conditions, be converted back into a hemiacetal and an alcohol.