Preparation of 2,4,5-Trisubstituted Oxazoles through Iodine-mediated Aerobic Oxidative Cyclization of Enaminones.

A novel approach to trisubstituted oxazoles has been developed that is based upon an iodine-mediated aerobic oxidative cyclization of enaminone derivatives. This transition-metal-free procedure was highly efficient and involved the removal of four hydrogen atoms under mild conditions.