Graduate level organic chemistry help?

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Marie

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Cyclic imides, like phth are good amine nucleophiles for aza-Mitsunobu rxns. Acyclic imides give mixtures in which imidates are favored over the desired N-alkyl imides. Why is this?

I'm thinking it's because acyclic imides can rearrange to where the nucleophile is the oxygen instead of the nitrogen, forming the imidate instead of the N-alkyl imide. Is this right?
 
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