Nitroso compounds : III. The reaction of bromomagnesium diphenylcuprate and phenylcopper reagents with nitrosobenzene

Bromomagnesium diphenylcuprate reagent reacts with nitrosobenzene to give diphenylhydroxylamine, biphenyl, diphenylamine, azoxybenzene and phenol. It reacts with alkyl nitrites to give the above products as well as the corresponding alkanols. Phenylcopper reagent behaves similarly but somewhat sluggishly. A mechanism involving an initial electron-transfer process is proposed.