---
title: "Protecting groups cheat sheet Template | MolDraw"
url: https://www.moldraw.com/templates/research-protecting-groups/
description: "Protecting groups cheat sheet template: Boc, Cbz and Fmoc for amines; TBS, TBDPS, Bn, PMB, Ac, MOM and THP for alcohols; dioxolane, dimethyl acetal and…"
lang: en
publisher: Scidart Academy
generated: 2026-10-28
---
[MolDraw](https://www.moldraw.com/) › [Templates](https://www.moldraw.com/templates/) › [Research figures](https://www.moldraw.com/templates/research-figures/) › Protecting groups cheat sheet

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# Protecting groups cheat sheet template

![Protecting groups cheat sheet template: Boc, Cbz and Fmoc for amines; TBS, TBDPS, Bn, PMB, Ac, MOM and THP for alcohols; dioxolane, dimethyl acetal and dithiane for carbonyls: each drawn going on (reagents on the arrow), with how it comes off and what it survives.](https://www.moldraw.com/templates/download/research-protecting-groups.svg)

[Edit in MolDraw](https://www.moldraw.com/)[Download SVG](https://www.moldraw.com/templates/download/research-protecting-groups.svg)

Free template. Download it, or open it in MolDraw to change it first.

Boc, Cbz and Fmoc for amines; TBS, TBDPS, Bn, PMB, Ac, MOM and THP for alcohols; dioxolane, dimethyl acetal and dithiane for carbonyls: each drawn going on (reagents on the arrow), with how it comes off and what it survives.

## What the template shows

- Each group going on (reagents on the arrow), how it comes off and what it survives; R = your substrate
- tert-butoxycarbonyl
- TFA, CH₂Cl₂; or HCl, dioxane
- base, nucleophiles, H₂/Pd
- H₂, Pd/C; or HBr, AcOH
- mild acid (TFA), base
- 20% piperidine, DMF
- acid (TFA): orthogonal to Boc
- TBS (TBDMS)
- tert-butyldimethylsilyl
- TBAF, THF; or HF·pyridine; AcOH/H₂O
- base, most oxidants and reductants
- tert-butyldiphenylsilyl
- TBAF, THF (slower than TBS)
- acid, far better than TBS
- benzyl ether
- acid, base, most redox
- p-methoxybenzyl ether
- DDQ, CH₂Cl₂/H₂O; or CAN
- base; DDQ leaves Bn in place
- acetate ester
- K₂CO₃, MeOH; or LiOH, THF/H₂O
- acid, H₂/Pd, oxidants
- methoxymethyl ether

Drawn with 160 atoms, 13 arrows, 17 shapes – every one editable in MolDraw.

## Sources

- [Wuts, Greene's Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis, 5th ed., Wiley 2014](https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781118057483) Textbook
- [Clayden, Greeves & Warren, Organic Chemistry, 2nd ed., OUP 2012, ch. 23](https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780199270293) Textbook

## How to use this template

1. Press **Edit in MolDraw**. The template opens on the canvas of the free MolDraw editor.
2. Change anything: move structures, edit atoms and labels, recolour highlights or delete what you do not need.
3. Add your own structures, arrows and text next to it, or combine several templates on one page.
4. Export the drawing as PNG, SVG or PDF for slides, worksheets, theses and papers.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is the Protecting groups cheat sheet template free?

Yes. The Protecting groups cheat sheet template is one of the free MolDraw templates: open it in the editor or download it from this page as SVG or PNG and use it in your slides, worksheets and notes.

### Can I edit the Protecting groups cheat sheet template?

Yes. It opens as an ordinary MolDraw drawing, so every structure, arrow, label and colour can be changed, and you can add your own content around it.

### Is the chemistry checked?

Every structure is checked with RDKit and every curly arrow passes MolDraw’s electron-flow audit. The sources used are listed on this page.

### Are the research figure templates suitable for journals?

They follow common ACS and RSC figure conventions (scheme layout, numbered compounds, condition text above and below arrows). Export as SVG or PDF for the final figure.

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