Synthetic reactions using transition metal complexes. Conversion of amide oximes into amidines by pentacarbonyliron and evidence for imine intermediates in the deoximation of ketoximes

Abstract

N-Alkyl and N-arylbenzamide oximes, when treated with pentacarbonyliron in dry tetrahydrofuran undergo reductive fission of the N–O linkage to give the corresponding amidines in high yields; an identical reaction takes place with methyl mesityl ketoxime which gives the corresponding imine.