In aqueous solution substituted aromatic nitroso compounds react rapidly with glyoxylic acid to produce N-hydroxyformanilides and C02. The reaction is nearly quantitative for all nitroso aromatics investigated and serves as a convenient synthetic route to N-hydroxyformanilides. This reaction follows second-order reaction kinetics overall and is unimolecular in each of the two reactants. The reaction is strongly inhibited by organic cosolvents but is not ...