When a mixture of a few benzoins and a pyridine N-oxide SbC15 (1 : 1) complex (Complex A) was boiled in nitromethane, the corresponding benzils were obtained in various yields dependent upon the kinds of substituents in each reactant. The yield of benzil becames higher by adding some tertiary amines. In this reaction, tribenzylamine is a good accelerator to promote it. When Complex A, 4-picolin...
