A NOVEL IMPROVED PROCEDURE FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF OXAZOLES

In the present work a novel improved and convenient procedure for the synthesis of oxazoles has been developed. Acetamide, instead of ammoni um acetate, was used to react with phenacyl benzoates in boiling xylen e in the presence of BF3/Et(2)O as the catalyst. According to this new synthetic route, nine oxazole compounds were readily prepared as sing le products in reasonably high yields. On the basis of the experimenta l results, a plausible mechanism of this reaction is proposed. Copyrig ht (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd