The Cope elimination makes it possible to obtain alkenes from tertiary amines. The reaction consists of oxidizing the tertiary amine, forming an amine N-oxide, which is eliminated intramolecularly by heating, giving rise to the alkene.
Stage 1. Formation of the amine N-oxide . Hydrogen peroxide or peracids oxidize the tertiary amine, forming amine oxides.
Stage 2. Elimination WITHOUT. Oxygen removes the proton from carbon b, forming a double bond with simultaneous loss of nitrogen in the form of hydroxylamine.
