By-products in the reaction of 2-picoline N-oxide with acetic anhydride

Abstract

In support of earlier work by Okuda, the apparently homogeneous product from reaction of 2-picoline N-oxide with acetic anhydride, described in the literature as 2-acetoxymethylpyridine, is shown to consist of about 66% of this substance, together with approximately equal amounts of 3-acetoxy-2-picoline and 5-acetoxy-2-picoline. The N.M.R. and mass spectra of these isomeric acetoxy compounds are discussed.