The present book, The Chemistry of Hydroxylamines, Oximes and Hydroxamic Acids, deals
with the chemistry of three related functional groups that were not hitherto treated in ‘The
Chemistry of Functional Groups’ series. Professor Artem Melman, then at the Hebrew
University, who felt that such a book would be valuable, suggested the title and we
followed his advice; he also contributed a chapter. We will be grateful to other readers
who suggest other topics which, in their opinion, deserve to be included in new volumes
in the series.
The two parts of the present volume contain 18 chapters written by experts from
14 countries. They include theoretical aspects, structural analysis, thermochemistry and
NMR spectra of the three groups, chapters on the synthesis of the groups and on synthetic
aspects, such as their use for synthesis of a variety of heterocyclic systems, the use of
hydroxylamines and oximes for electrophilic amination, their use as analytical reagents,
their electrochemistry and rearrangements both in the laboratory and in large-scale indus￾try. Biological properties and use as therapeutic agents as well as the iron transfer ability
of natural hydroxamic acids are covered in several chapters. Mechanistic aspects of these
systems, including their effect as substituents, with emphasis on their α-effects, which are
important both theoretically and as anti-toxic agents, are covered in two chapters. One
sub-group, the N-heteroatom-substituted hydroxamic acids, is covered extensively from
the synthetic, theoretical and biological aspects. Special chapters are devoted to related
topics such as nitroxyl radicals, nitrosomethanides and their acids