The reactions of oximes to amides, known as the Beckmann rearrangement, may undergo fragmentation to form carbocations+ nitriles when the migrating groups have reasonable stability as cations. The reactions of oxime sulfonates of 1-substituted-phenyl-2-propanone derivatives (7-X) and related substrates (8-X, 9a-X) in aqueous CH3CN gave both rearrangement products (amides) and fragmentation products (alcohols), the ratio of ...