Reactions on Silica Gel. Beckmann Rearrangement of Oxime p-Toluenesulfonates

The synthetic utility of neutral silica gel as supporting agent and as catalyst is well documented /1/ and particularly silica may act as catalyst in the synthesis and selective O-alkylation of amides /2,3/. We now wish to report that neutral silica gel promotes the Beckmann rearrangement of oxime p-toluenesulfonates in mild conditions room temperature yielding the corresponding amides in a high degree of purity.