Light-induced rearrangement of aryloxyacetonitriles
Abstract
On irradiation in methanol, phenoxyacetonitrile (PhO·CH2·CN) underwent rearrangement to o-hydroxybenzyl cyanide and p-hydroxybenzyl cyanide. Other aryloxyacetonitriles (ArO·CH2·CN : Ar =p-tolyl, p-methoxyphenyl, 3,5- and 2,6-xylenyl) behaved similarly. Ethyl N-methylanilinoacetate (PhNMe·CH2·CO2Et) yielded N-methyloxindole on irradiation in methanol.