Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry

Tetra-n-butylammonium fluoride (TBAF): A quaternary alkylammonium salt, commonly used to deprotect silyl ethers.

Molecular structure of tetra-n-butylammonium fluoride.


Application of tetra-n-butylammonium fluoride in silyl ether deprotection: The starting material has two protecting groups (a TMS ether and a THP acetal); treatment with TBAF chemoselectively removes the TMS group but leaves the THP group intact.