Process for production of oxime derivatives

A single step method for deprotecting a protected oxime compound wherein said oxime compound contains up to about 50 carbon atoms and a hydroxyimino group protected by a 2-alkenylating group in which the alkenyl moiety thereof has not derived from a compound which will react with the hydroxyimino group to convert it into a 2-alkenyloxyimino group and is represented by the formula ##STR31## wherein each of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 represents hydrogen or hydrocarbon group which may have a substituent, and X represents a halogen atom, or a residue of a sulfonic acid, said deprotection method comprising contacting the protected oxime compound at a temperature of from about 50.degree. to 150.degree. C. for from about 5 minutes to 24 hours with from about 0.1 to 5 moles, per mole of the protected oxime compound, of a catalyst comprising a compound of a platinum-group metal and at least 1 mole, per mole of the platinum group metal compound, of a ligand comprising an electron donor compound of a metal of Group V of the Periodic Table in the presence of from 2 to 10 molecules, per protected oxime of a nucleophilic reagent selected from the group consisting of lower fatty acids, salts of lower fatty acids, alkali metal salts of phenols and alkali metal salts of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds and a diluent selected from the group consisting of nitriles, amides, ethers and alcohols, in an amount such that the concentration of the protected oxime compound is from 1 to 50% by weight.