Efficient catalytic conversion of pyridine N-oxides to pyridine with an Oxorhenium(V) catalyst

The compound CH(3)Re(O)(SR)(2)PPh(3), where (SR)(2) represents the dianion of 2-(mercaptomethyl)thiophenol, catalyzes the rapid and efficient transfer of an oxygen atom from a wide range of ring-substituted pyridine N-oxides to triphenylphosphine, yielding the pyridines in high yield.