Preparation and Mechanism of Solvolysis of N-Hydroxy-α-oxobenzeneethanimidoyl Chloride,a 2-(Hydroxyimino)-1-phenylethan-1-one Derivative: Molecular Structure of α-Oxo-oximes (=α-(Hydroxyimino) Ketones)

Acid-catalyzed methanolysis of N-hydroxy-α-oxobenzeneethanimidoyl chloride ( 1 ), a 2-(hydroxyimino)-1-phenylethan-1-one derivative obtained in one step from acetophenone, leads to a constant ratio of methyl α-oxobenzeneacetate ( 2 ) and methyl α-(hydroxyimino)benzeneacetate ( 3 ). ¹³C(α) Labelled ¹³C]- 1 affords ¹³C(α) labelled ¹³C]- 3 , thus discarding the hypothesis of its formation via 1,2-arene migration. The reported sequence opens a novel approach to phenylglyoxylic and mandelic acid esters (=α-oxobenzeneacetic and α-hydroxybenzeneacetic acid esters), from acetophenone. The molecular structures of 1 and 3 were determined by X-ray structure analysis and compared with previously reported crystallographic data of α-oxo-oximes (=α-(hydroxyimino) ketones) 4 and 6 – 8 . The unique stereoelectronic characteristics of the α-oxo-oxime moiety are discussed. All α-oxo-oximes share the following structural characteristics: (E)-configuration of the oxime C=N?OH bond (i.e. OH and C=O trans), the s-trans conformation of the oxo and imino moieties about the C(α)-C(=NOH) single bond, and intermolecular H-bonding. They differ from the isostructural β-diketone enols by the absence of resonance-assisted intramolecular H-bonding.