Methoxymethyl ether

In organic chemistry, a methoxymethyl ether is a functional group with the formula ROCH2OCH3, abbreviated MOM.

It is a kind of chloroalkyl ether and, like its congeners, often employed in organic synthesis to protect alcohols.

[1][2] Closely related to MOM ethers are methoxyethoxymethoxy (MEM) protecting groups, introduced using 2-methoxyethoxymethyl chloride.

Typically, the alcohol to be protected is deprotonated with a non-nucleophilic base such as N,N-diisopropylethylamine (DIPEA) in dichloromethane followed by addition of the chloromethyl reagent.

[5] The MOM and the MEM protecting groups can be cleaved with a range of Lewis and Bronsted acids.