Abstract
A metal-, oxidant-, and additive-free conversion of hydroxamates to esters have been achieved using molecular iodine as the reagent using a novel but not-so-explored heron-type rearrangement. The reaction proceeds with almost equal facility with substrates having either electron-donating or electron-withdrawing substituent. Similarly, α,ß-unsaturated, and sterically hindered ortho-substituted hydroxamates also undergo the desired transformation smoothly.
Graphical Abstract
![](/cms/asset/3f872296-998f-45c4-887c-b2b52571ff7b/lsyc_a_1737130_uf0001_c.jpg)