What are Benzil and Benzilic acid rearrangement?
Formally, the 1,2-rearrangement of 1,2-diketones to form alpha-hydroxy-carboxylic acids using a base is the benzilic acid rearrangement. This reaction takes its name from the potassium hydroxide reaction of benzil to form benzyl acid. When used on cyclic diketones, the answer is formally a ring contraction.