Typical nitrone sources are hydroxylamine oxidation or condensation with carbonyl compounds. Secondary hydroxylamines oxidize to nitrones in air over a timescale of several weeks, a process cupric salts accelerate.[1]: 476 [2]: 332–333 The most general reagent used for the oxidation of hydroxylamines is aqueous mercuric oxide:[1]: 476 [3]
However, a hydroxylamine with two α hydrogens may unsaturate on either side. Carbonyl condensation avoids this ambiguity...[4]
...but is inhibited if both ketone substituents are bulky.[1]: 477
In principle, N-alkylation could produce nitrones from oximes, but in practice electrophiles typically perform a mixture of N- and O-attack.[1]: 479 [2]: 334
Like many other unsaturated functional groups, nitrones activate the α and β carbons towards reaction. The α carbon is an electrophile and the β carbon a nucleophile; that is, nitrones polarize like carbonyls and nitriles but unlike nitro compounds and vinyl sulfur derivatives.[1]: 483 [2]: 338–340
Nitrones hydrolyze extremely easily to the corresponding carbonyl and N-hydroxylamine.[1]: 491 [2]: 344
^Thiesing, Jan; Mayer, Hans (1957). "Cyclische Nitrone, II. Über die Polymeren des 2.3.4.5-Tetrahydro-pyridin-N-oxyds und verwandte Verbindungen". Justus Liebigs Ann. Chem.609: 46-57. doi:10.1002/jlac.19576090105.