A mild and highly efficient method has been developed for the protection of hydroxyl compounds as tetrahydropyranyl and furanyl ethers using a catalytic amount of indium trichloride immobilized in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ionic liquid under mild conditions. A wide range of functional and protecting groups such as THP, TBDMS, TBDPS, PMB, MOM ethers, acetonides, olefins and epoxides are compatible with ionic liquids. Monoprotection of diols has also been achieved using this novel procedure.