Synthesis of 2-(5-Methyl-2-phenyl-4-oxazolyl)ethanol

2-(5-Methyl-2-phenyl-4-oxazolyl)ethanol(1) was synthesized from L -aspartic acid via 5-step reactions; esterification, N -benzoylation, Dakin-West reaction, cyclizaction and reduction using LiAlH 4 in about 31 2% overall yield. Reacting L -aspartic acid with methanol in 0 ℃ gave 72 6% L -aspartic acid β -methyl ester hydrochloride(2), which was benzoylated to give 82 0% N -benzoyl- L -aspartic acid β -methyl ester(3). Dakin-West reaction of 3 gave 74 4% methyl 3-benzamido-4-oxovalerate(4), which was cyclized in toluene by POCl 3 to give 81 8% methyl 2-(5-methyl-2-phenyl-4-oxazolyl)acetate(5), the latter can easily convert to 1 by treatment with ether solution of LiAlH 4 in yield of 86%. All the compounds were characterized by 1H NMR, IR and elemental analysis.