Novel oxidative nitrogen to carbon rearrangement found in the conversion of anilines to benzaldoximes by treating with HCHO/H2O2

Novel rearrangement was found by reacting anilines with HCHO/H2O2 resulting in the synthesis of various benzaldoximes. The mechanism of the rearrangement is proposed and suggested that the rearrangement might proceed via unstable N-phenyloxazirane intermediate followed by the transfer of aryl moiety from nitrogen to carbon atom leading to the formation of benzaldoxime.