been shown that reactions of 4-nitroimidazoles and some other nitroaromatic systems with phenyl-acetonitrile in the presence of sodium methoxide in methanol lead to the reduction of the nitro to nitroso group and to the nucleophilic displacement of hydrogen atom at the ring by the respective carbanion followed by tautomerization of the nitroso compound to an oxime. Similar reactions of 4-nitroimidazoles