Oxazoles of 5-

In contrast to oxazole, thiazole does not undergo the Diels-Alder cycloaddition reaction (331). This behavior can be correlated with the more dienic character of oxazole, relative to thiazole, as shown by quantochemical calculations (184). 

The current paradigm for B syntheses came from the first report in 1957 of a synthesis of pyridines by cycloaddition reactions of oxazoles (36) (Fig. 5). This was adapted for production of pyridoxine shordy thereafter. Intensive research by Ajinomoto, BASF, Daiichi, Merck, Roche, Takeda, and other companies has resulted in numerous pubHcations and patents describing variations. These routes are convergent, shorter, and of reasonably high throughput. 

NMR data for 4-methyloxazole have been compared with those of 4-methylthiazole the data clearly show that the ring protons in each are shielded. In a comprehensive study of a range of oxazoles. Brown and Ghosh also reported NMR data but based a discussion of resonance stabilization on pK and UV spectral data (69JCS(B)270). The weak basicity of oxazole (pX a 0.8) relative to 1-methylimidazole (pK 7.44) and thiazole (pK 2.44) demonstrates that delocalization of the oxygen lone pair, which would have a base-strengthening effect on the nitrogen atom, is not extensive. It must be concluded that not only the experimental measurement but also the very definition of aromaticity in the azole series is as yet poorly quantified. Nevertheless, its importance in the interpretation of reactivity is enormous. 

A multiply bonded nitrogen atom deactivates carbon atoms a or y to it toward electrophilic attack thus initial substitution in 1,2- and 1,3-dihetero compounds should be as shown in structures (110) and (111). Pyrazoles (110 Z = NH), isoxazoles (110 Z = 0), isothiazoles (110 Z = S), imidazoles (111 Z = NH, tautomerism can make the 4- and 5-positions equivalent) and thiazoles (111 Z = S) do indeed undergo electrophilic substitution as expected. Little is known of the electrophilic substitution reactions of oxazoles (111 Z = O) and compounds containing three or more heteroatoms in one ring. Deactivation of the 4-position in 1,3-dihetero compounds (111) is less effective because of considerable double bond fixation (cf. Sections 4.01.3.2.1 and 4.02.3.1.7), and if the 5-position of imidazoles or thiazoles is blocked, substitution can occur in the 4-position (112). 

Nitration of monocyclic compounds is summarized in Table 4. Substitution occurs in the expected positions. The reaction conditions required are more vigorous than those needed for benzene, but less than those for pyridine. Ring nitration of oxazoles is rare, but (114) has been obtained in this way (74AHC(17)99). 

Isoxazoles can be halogenated in the 4-position (63AHC(2)365). Ring bromination of oxazoles with bromine or NBS occurs preferentially at the 5-position and, if this is occupied, at the 4-position (74AHCI 17)99). Aminooxazoles are readily halogenated. 

Oxygen-containing azoles are readily reduced, usually with ring scission. Only acyclic products have been reported from the reductions with complex metal hydrides of oxazoles (e.g. 209 210), isoxazoles (e.g. 211 212), benzoxazoles (e.g. 213 214) and benzoxazolinones (e.g. 215, 216->214). Reductions of 1,2,4-oxadiazoles always involve ring scission. Lithium aluminum hydride breaks the C—O bond in the ring Scheme 19) 76AHC(20)65>. 

Isoxazotes are readily reduced, usually with concomitant ring fission (e.g. 262 — 263). They behave as masked 1,3-diketones 79AHC(25)147). 1,2-Benzisoxazoles are easily reduced to various products (Scheme 28) (67AHC(8)277). Chemical or catalytic reduction of oxazoles invariably cleaves the heterocyclic ring (Scheme 29) <74AHQ 17)99). For similar reactions of thiazoles, see Section 4.02.1.5.1. 

Since neither direct acylation of the 2-position of oxazole 15 (Ha) nor acylation of the 1,3-dithianyl anion (Hb) was observed, the products were rationalized as arising through selective C-acylation of the ring-opened tautomer 15c. 

Ingham proposed the following sequence to explain the formation of oxazole products following his study of the reaction of benzaldehyde with mandelonitrile and hydrogen chloride. In the event, addition of hydrogen chloride to the cyanide is the first step providing the intermediate iminochloride 5 (Ari = Ph), which upon reaction with benzaldehyde affords oxazole 2 (Ari, Ar2 = Ph) via intermediate 6 (Ari, Ar2 = Ph). 

Onaka demonstrated the utility of a modified Fisher method in the one-step synthesis of oxazole alkaloid Halfordinol (16) in higher overall yield than previously reported by Robinson-Gabriel synthesis. ... 

In at least one case, the standard Bucherer-Bergs conditions gave rise to oxazole rather hydantoin. Specifically, when 5-benzyloxy-pyridine-2-carbaldehyde (11) was treated with potassium cyanide, ammonium chloride, and ammonium carbonate in boiling ethanol/water, 5-amino-oxazol-2-ol 12 was obtained. Subsequent heating of oxazole 12 with acetic acid at reflux overnight then produced the Bucherer-Bergs product, hydantoin 13. ... 

An example of this methodology was its use in the synthesis of vitamin Be, pyridoxine 12. Cycloaddition of oxazole 9, prepared from ethyl A-acetylalanate and P2O5, with maleic anhydride initially gave 10. Upon exposure to acidic ethanol, the oxabicyclooctane system fragments to afford pyridine 11. Reduction of the ester substituents with LiAlIU generated the desired product 12. 

The only example of ring-chain tautomerism of oxazoles 290 known so far was described in 84CHEC-I(6)177 (Scheme 104). 

Photolysis, luminiscent properties, and laser activity of oxazole derivatives 97MI27. 

Synthesis of oxazoles from diazocarbonyl compounds 97PHC1. 

Although there are comprehensive reviews and various specialized publications available covering the field of oxazole and specially thiazole chemistry, this does not apply to the selenazoles. This class of compounds has been treated in a few paragraphs and then only in a few works on organic chemistry. The reason for this is, principally, because in this field so far there has been less work and, correspondingly, a relatively small number of substituted selenazoles are known. Thus the parent compound, selenazole itself, is still unknown, all attempts to synthesize it having failed. 

Reaction of the diphosphine ligand R2P(CH2)2PR2 (R = benzothiazolyl) (L) with [RhCl(PPh3)3] gives the exclusively P-coordinated product [RhCl(PPh3)(L)] (88JOM(338)C31, 92JCS(D)241), which is perhaps a common feature of the P-substituted derivatives of oxazole and thiazole. 

Flassner A., Fischer B. New Chemistry of Oxazoles Heterocydes 1993 351441-1465 Keywords Diels-Alder reactions of oxazoles with olefins or acetylenes, het-erodienophiles... 

A constant interest in the development of new rapid methodologies for the preparation of oxazole hbraries is motivated by their presence in numerous biologically active natural products. Janda and coworkers were hrst to show that oxazoles can be obtained by microwave-assisted treatment of polymer-bound a-acylamino-/f-ketoesters with Burgess reagent [68]. Hydroxybutyl-functionalized /anda/el resin was used for this investigation, with key steps being monitored by on-bead FT-IR. First, a resin-bound acetoacetate was pre-... 

Fig. 13 Synthesis of oxazoles on JandaJel. Reagents and conditions a toluene, alkyl acetoacetate (R0(C0)CH2C0R R =t-Bu), reflux, 6h or alkyl acetoacetate (R = Me, Et), toluene, LiC104, reflux, 6h fc dodecylbenzenesulfonyl azide, EtsN, toluene, rt, 16 h c benzamide, Rh2(oct)4, toluene, 65 °C, Ih rf Burgess reagent, pyridine, chlorobenzene, MW 100 °C, 15 min (or 80 °C, 4 h with conventional heating) e AICI3, piperidine, CH2CI2, rt, 16 h...

Scheme 17 Solvent-less mercury(II)-assisted synthesis of oxazoles...

Scheme 18 Solvent-free synthesis of oxazoles mediated by hypervalent iodine(III) sulfonates...

In studies on l-diazo-2-ketosulfones, Shioiri et at. found that the thermal decomposition of benzoyl(sulfonyl)diazomethanes 6 with benzyl alcohol in acetonitrile also gave two products.<82CPB526> One is the 4-sulfonyloxazole 7 whereas the other product 8 results from rearrangement and reaction with the alcohol. The ratio of products varies with the nature of the sulfone substituent with the benzyl group giving highest yields of oxazole (Scheme 5). 

The role of Lewis acids in the formation of oxazoles from diazocarbonyl compounds and nitriles has primarily been studied independently by two groups. Doyle et al. first reported the use of aluminium(III) chloride as a catalyst for the decomposition of diazoketones.<78TL2247> In a more detailed study, a range of Lewis acids was screened for catalytic activity, using diazoacetophenone la and acetonitrile as the test reaction.<80JOC3657> Of the catalysts employed, boron trifluoride etherate was found to be the catalyst of choice, due to the low yield of the 1-halogenated side-product 17 (X = Cl or F) compared to 2-methyI-5-phenyloxazole 18. Unfortunately, it was found that in the case of boron trifluoride etherate, the nitrile had to be used in a ten-fold excess, however the use of antimony(V) fluoride allowed the use of the nitrile in only a three fold excess (Table 1). 

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