Chemistry ofα-hydroxyamino oximes

The reaction of anti-α-hydroxyamino oximes with ketones gives substituted 1-hydroxy-3-imidazoline 3-oxides. The action of hydrogen chloride on the latter and on their acetyl derivatives leads to the isomeric 2-isoimidazole N-oxides differing by the position of the N-oxide oxygen in the isoimidazole ring. The structure of the latter compounds has been established by means of IR, UV, and PMR spectra and has been confirmed by independent synthesis.