Rearrangement of N-(3-pyridyl)nitramine

Contrary to other N-(pyridyl)nitramines, the title compound cannot be rearranged to 3-amino-2-nitropyridine or other isomers. Hypothetical products of its transformation under influence of concentrated sulphuric acid, viz. 3-hydroxypyridine, 3,3′-azoxypyridine and 3,3′-azopyridine, were obtained from 3-nitro- and 3-aminopyridine in oxidation and reduction reactions. N-(3-Pyridyl)nitramine was prepared and rearranged in concentrated sulphuric acid. 3-Hydroxypyridine and 3,3′-azoxypyridine were isolated from the reaction mixture, other products were identified by the HPLC and GCMS methods. The results indicate that N-(3-pyridyl)hydroxylamine is an intermediate formed from N-(3-pyridyl)nitramine under the influence of concentrated sulphuric acid. The reaction path, leading to the final products, is discussed in context of the mechanism of nitramine rearrangement.