Reactions of iron pentacarbonyl with compounds containing the N—O linkage

Abstract

Amine oxides, azoxybenzenes, and nitrones are deoxygenated in good yields by iron pentacarbonyl in hot butyl ether. Substituted nitro- and nitrosobenzenes are reduced under these conditions to azo and/or amino compounds, depending on the nature and location of the substituents; some evidence for nitrene or nitrene-like intermediates in these reactions is presented.