Molecular rearrangements Benzoin rearrangement

Oxidation of benzoin, PhCH(OH)COPh (above) yields benzil, PhCOCOPh (133), and this, in common with non-enolisable 1,2-diketones in general, undergoes base-catalysed rearrangement to yield the anion of an a-hydroxy acid, benzilate anion, Ph2C(0H)C02e (134). This is, almost certainly, the first molecular rearrangement to be recognised as such. The rate equation is found to be,... 

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