Transition-metal free 2-arylbenzoxazole formation from aryl amides and cyclohexanonesElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4gc01572j

A transition-metal-free method for the synthesis of 2-arylbenzoxazoles from readily available cyclohexanones and benzamides is described. The combined use of KI, p -TsOH and DMSO significantly improved the reaction yields. Non-aromatic cyclohexanones were smoothly dehydrogenated and acted as the aryl source using oxygen as the oxidant. 2-Arylbenzoxazoles were selectively prepared under transition metal-free conditions using cyclohexanones as the aryl source.