In organic chemistry, the acetoxy group (abbr. AcO or OAc; IUPAC name: acetyloxy ), is a functional group with the formula \sOCOCH3 and the structure \sO\sC(\dO)\sCH3. As the -oxy suffix implies, it differs from the acetyl group (\sC(\dO)\sCH3) by the presence of an additional oxygen atom. The name acetoxy is the short form of acetyl-oxy.

Functionality

An acetoxy group may be used as a protection for an alcohol functionality in a synthetic route although the protecting group itself is called an acetyl group.

Alcohol protection

There are several options of introducing an acetoxy functionality in a molecule from an alcohol (in effect protecting the alcohol by acetylation): An alcohol is not a particularly strong nucleophile and, when present, more powerful nucleophiles like amines will react with the above-mentioned reagents in preference to the alcohol.

Alcohol deprotection

For deprotection (regeneration of the alcohol)