Wagner rearrangement

noun

Wag·​ner rearrangement

ˈvägnə(r)-

variants or Wagner-Meerwein rearrangement

-ˈmerˌvīn-

: a reaction that is applicable especially to organic compounds containing a neopentyl or similar grouping, that is thought to proceed by way of a carbonium ion, and that involves change of the carbon skeleton (as from pinene to bornyl chloride by hydrogen chloride, from neopentyl iodide to tert-amyl acetate by silver acetate, or from methyl-tert-butyl-carbinol to tetramethyl-ethylene by acids) compare pinacolone

Word History

Etymology

after Georg Wagner 19th century Russian chemist

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!