Abstract:
A method for preparing oximes where an aldehyde or ketone is reacted with hydroxylamine or its salt in the presence of a catalytic amount of an organotin(IV) compound such as monoalkyltin(IV), dialkyltin(IV) and aryltin(IV). The organotin(IV) compound is represented by the formula I: (R. sup. 1). sub. n SnX. sub. m-n (I) where R. sup. 1 is independently selected from alkyl of 1 to 18 carbons or aryl, X is halogen, oxygen, hydroxyl, OR. sup. 1, R. sup. 2 CO. sub. 2 --, R. sup. 2 O. sub. 2 C--(Z). sub. y --CO. sub. 2 -- or R. sup. 2 CO. sub. 2 (CH. sub. 2). sub. y S--, R. sup. 2 is alkyl of 1 to 18 carbons or aryl, Z is selected from CH. sub. 2 or CH. dbd. CH, where y is 0 to 6, n is 1 or 2 and m is 4 except that when X is oxygen, n is 2 and m is 3. Exemplary of the organotin(IV) compounds are butyltin tris(2-ethylhexanoate), dibutyltin diacetate and diphenyltin dichloride.