Magtrieve™ (CrO2) and MnO2 mediated oxidation of aldoximes: studying the reaction course

Magtrieve™ (CrO₂) and MnO₂ mediated oxidation of aldoximes to nitrile oxides were studied in details. In presence of external radical source, TEMPO, these reagents did not furnish nitrile oxides, instead favoured deoximation to aldehydes. A common trend of deoximation was established from electronically tuned aldoximes, which is: aliphatic>aromatic>aldoximes with strong electron-withdrawing group, though the extent of deoximation was less in case of CrO₂. Above effects were not observed with chloramine-T and diacetoxyiodobenzene, reagents known to produce nitrile oxides via hydroximoyl halide or equivalent ionic intermediates. A putative reaction mechanism is proposed for MO₂ (M=Cr, Mn) mediated oxidation of aldoximes through formation of a nitroso-oxime tautomeric pair. Formation of nitrile oxide is possibly occurred from the oxime tautomer via a σ-type iminoxy radical intermediate. The deoximation process, dominating in presence of external radical environment, is explained following decomposition of the nitroso tautomer.