Nicotine (I) is converted to the N-oxide (II) by oxidation with m-chloroperbenzoic acid. Treatment of N-oxide (II) with ferric nitrate gives rise to a number of different products, among them, the hydroxylamine (III) arises by a Cope elimination process. The target metanicotine is formed by reduction of hydroxylamine (III) as a minor reaction product

Treatment of nicotine (I) with ethyl chloroformate produces the open-chain chloro carbamate (II) which, upon distillation, undergoes elimination to the N-pyridylbutenyl carbamate (III). Acidic hydrolysis of the carbamate group of (III) then provides the target metanicotine