ˈvägnə(r)- noun
or wag·ner-meerwein rearrangement -ˈmerˌvīn-
Usage: usually capitalized W&M
Etymology: after Georg Wagner 19th century Russ. chemist
: a reaction that is applicable especially to organic compounds containing a neopentyl or similar grouping, that is thought to proceed by way of a carbonium ion, and that involves change of the carbon skeleton (as from pinene to bornyl chloride by hydrogen chloride, from neopentyl iodide to tert -amyl acetate by silver acetate, or from methyl- tert -butyl-carbinol to tetramethyl-ethylene by acids) — compare pinacolone