Boekelheide reaction


The Boekelheide reaction is a rearrangement of α-picoline-N-oxides to hydroxymethylpyridines. It is named after Virgil Boekelheide who first reported it in 1954. Originally the reaction was carried out using acetic anhydride, which typically required a period at reflux. The reaction can be performed using trifluoroacetic anhydride, which often allows for a room temperature reaction.

Mechanism

The mechanism of the Boekelheide reaction begins by an acyl transfer from the trifluoroacetic anhydride to the N-oxide oxygen. The α-methyl carbon is then deprotonated by the trifluoroacetate anion. This sets the molecule up for a -sigmatropic rearrangement which furnishes the trifluoroacetylated methylpyridine. Hydrolysis of the trifluoroacetate releases the hydroxymethylpyridine.

Related reactions

2-Chloromethylpyridine can be prepared by treating 2-picoline-N-oxide with phosphoryl chloride or triphosgene.