In an extension of Wallach rearrangement studies into the phenylazoxypyridine series, an investigation of 4-, 3-, and 2-phenylazoxypyridines, the N-oxides, and methiodides is reported. Oxidation of 4-and 3-phenylazopyridine with peracetic acid gives rise to the a and p phenylazoxypyridine-N-oxides, contrary to previous literature reports on the obtention solely of the a isomers. 2-Phenylazopyridine, however, yields only the 2-(phenyl-a-azoxy)pyridine-N-oxide. These results are rationalized on the basis of field, resonance, and steric effects. An unprecedented reactivity difference has been observed in the reactions of the a , p isomers of phenylazoxypyridines under conditions of the Wallach rearrangement. This reactivity difference permits the isolation of the a-azoxy isomers from the a,p mixtures. Unequivocal confirmation of the structures has been obtained from X-ray crystal structure determinations of two representative compounds in this series, viz. 4-(phenyl-P-azoxy)-pyridine-N-oxide (11) and 4-(phenyl-a-azoxy)pyridinium methiodide (12), which itself was formed by deoxygenation of 4-(phenyl-a-azoxy)pyridine-N-oxide, followed by methylation with methyl iodide. The crystal structure of 11 was solved by direct methods and refined by block-diagonal least squares to R = 0.041 for 2479 observed reflections. The asymmetric unit contains two independent molecules, both of which are planar. The structure of 1 2 was determined by the heavy-atom method and refined by full-matrix least squares to R = 0.043 for 1718 observed reflections. The molecules are not planar, the pyridine ring being rotated by 36.5" from the phenylazoxy plane. Evidence is presented for the existence of intramolecular C-H -. . O and C-H N bonds in crystal structures of trans-azoxyarenes. The carbon atoms involved in these hydrogen bonds are ortho to the azoxy group and can act as proton donors as a result of the inductive effect of the adjacent nitrogen.