text: The mechanism of the Boekelheide reaction begins by an acyl transfer from the trifluoroacetic anhydride to the N-oxide oxygen. The α-methyl carbon is then deprotonated by the trifluoroacetate anion. This sets the molecule up for a [3.3]-sigmatropic rearrangement which furnishes the trifluoroacetylated methylpyridine. Hydrolysis of the trifluoroacetate releases the hydroxymethylpyridine.