Rearrangements conversion, aromatic amides

Hofmann established a route to higher homologues of aromatic amines by intramolecular rearrangement of /V-alkylated anilines, a reaction that was of great theoretical and technical importance. In 1870, he reported the conversion of an acid amide into an amine, with loss of one carbon. In 1881, he discovered that when the degradation was carried out with sodium hypochlorite or hypobromite, the yields of primary amines were excellent. This is the Hofmann degradation, or reaction, that takes place via formation of isocyanate60. 

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