In the presence of catalytic amounts of [Ru,(CO),(Me2CNO) 2 (Me2CNOH) 2](l), acetone oxime reacts with carbon monoxide to give 2, 3, 4, 5-tetrahydro-2, 2, 4, 4, 6- pentamethylpyrimidine('acetonine'), CO,, and NH,. The reaction proceeds presumably via carbonylation of Me, C= NOH to the unstable intermediate Me, C= N-OCHO which undergoes decarboxylation to give the corresponding imine Me, C= NH. The final product ...
