Non-reactive group temporarily used to transform a reactive group into one that does not react under conditions where the non-protected group reacts.
Notes: - Trimethylsilylation is a typical transformation used to protect reactive functional groups, such as hydroxy or amino groups, from their reaction with the propagating species in an anionic polymerization.
- In photoresists, protecting groups may also alter solubility (e.g., tBOC protection of hydroxy groups in chemically amplified poly(4-hydroxystyrene) resists).
Source:
PAC, 2020, 92, 1861. 'Terminology of polymers in advanced lithography (IUPAC Recommendations 2020)' on page 1885 (https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2018-1215)