The synthetic methods to prepare 2-alkyl(aryl)-4,5-diphenyloxazoles an
d 2-alkyl(aryl)-4-phenyloxazoles were improved on the basis of a mecha
nistic study of oxazole formation from alpha-hydroxy ketones (carboxyl
ic esters of benzoin and phenacyl alcohols). By these methods, seven t
risubstituted oxazoles and twelve disubstituted oxazoles of the title
compounds were prepared.