Curtius rearrangement

Definition

The Curtius rearrangement is a chemical reaction where an acyl azide is heated to generate an isocyanate, which can subsequently be converted into a primary amine with the addition of water or other nucleophiles. It serves as an important method for the synthesis of amines from carboxylic acids.

Related terms

Acyl Azide: An organic compound characterized by a nitrogen-to-nitrogen triple bond attached to an acyl group, serving as the precursor in Curtius rearrangement.

Isocyanate: A functional group containing a nitrogen atom double-bonded to a carbon atom and single-bonded to an oxygen atom; it's an intermediate in various chemical syntheses including polyurethane production and Curtius rearrangement.

Amine Synthesis: The process of creating amines, which are organic compounds and functional groups containing nitrogen, through various chemical reactions including reductive amination and Curtius rearrangement