Regioselective Synthesis of 2,4,5-Trisubstituted Oxazoles and Ketene Aminals via Hydroamidation and Iodo-Imidation of Ynamides

A novel and straightforward protocol is demonstrated for the synthesis of highly substituted oxazoles from readily accessible ynamides in the presence of ytterbium­(III) trifluoromethanesulfonate [Yb­(OTf)3], N-iodosuccinimide (NIS), and acetonitrile. Multiple oxazole skeletons in the aryl periphery are constructed in a single operation for the first time. The hydroamidation and iodo-imidation of ynamides to trisubstituted and tetrasubstituted ketene aminals is exemplified. An isotope labeling experiment is used to identify the oxygen source in this transformation. The reactions are scalable to the gram scale, testifying the robustness of the transformations.