Indium-mediated facile cleavage of the t-butoxycarbonyl group from di-t-butylimidodicarbonate

Di-t-butylimidodicarbonates are selectively and efficiently deprotected to the corresponding mono-BOC protected amines in high yields using indium or zinc metal in refluxing methanol. Simple BOC and CBz protected amines are unaffected by these conditions.