Synthesis of oxazoles by silver catalysed oxidative decarboxylation-cyclization of α-oxocarboxylates and isocyanides.

A silver catalysed synthesis of oxazoles by the oxidative decarboxylation-cyclization of α-oxocarboxylates and isocyanides was developed. This method provided a novel strategy to construct oxazole rings compared to traditional methods. Mechanistic investigations such as operando IR, EPR and radical inhibition experiments were carefully done and confirmed the acyl cation and Ag(II) as the intermediates in this transformation, and the involvement of a radical decarboxylative process.