A study on the reaction pathway of Beckmann rearrangement and fragmentation of 1-substituted -phenyl-2-propanoneoxime derivatives

Abstract

The Beckmann rearrangement takes place when ketoxime is treated with acid, but a fragmentation reaction occurs when the migrating group is stable as the cation. Theoretical calculations with 3-phenyl-2-propanone oxime have suggested that both rearrangement and fragmentation reactions proceed through a common transition state. Experimental study on the reaction pathway of the Beckmann rearrangement and fragmentation of substituted 3-methyl-3-phenyl-2-butanoneoxime confirmed the theoretical predication.