NIH shift

https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.N04142
The
intramolecular
hydrogen
migration
which can be observed in enzymatic and chemical hydroxylations of aromatic rings. It is evidenced by appropriate
deuterium
labelling
, i.e.
In enzymatic reactions the NIH shift is generally thought to derive from the
rearrangement
of arene oxide intermediates, but other pathways have been suggested. (NIH stands for U.S. National Institutes of Health where the shift was discovered.)
Source:
PAC, 1994, 66, 1077. (Glossary of terms used in physical organic chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1994)) on page 1145 [Terms] [Paper]