The acetonides of small di- and triols, as well as many sugars and sugar alcohols, are common. The hexaol mannitol reacts with 2,2-dimethoxypropane to give the bis-acetonide, which oxidizes to give the acetonide of glyceraldehyde:
:(CHOHCHOHCHOH) + 2 (MeO)CMe → (CHOHCHCHOCMe) + 4 MeOH
:(CHOHCHOCHOCMe) + [O] → 2 OCHCHCHOCMe + HO
An example of its use as a protecting group in a complex organic synthesis is the Nicolaou Taxol total synthesis. It is a common protecting group for sugars and sugar alcohols, a simple example being solketal.
The acetonides of corticosteroid are used in dermatology, because their increased lipophilicity leads to better penetration into the skin.
* Fluclorolone acetonide
* Fluocinolone acetonide
* Triamcinolone acetonide