A rapid access to substituted oxazoles via PIFA-mediated oxidative cyclization of enamides

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/j.tet.2017.01.027

A facile and rapid access to multi-substituted oxazoles has been achieved under mild reaction conditions in a short reaction time. Reaction of enamides 1 with [bis(trifluoroacetoxy)iodo]benzene (PIFA) in trifluoroethanol (TFE) at room temperature for 15?min afforded the desired oxazoles 2 in moderate to excellent yields (58–98%). A wide range of functional group tolerance has been observed for these transformations.