Tandem reaction of propargyl alcohols and N-tosyl hydroxylamine: switchable synthesis of 2,5-dihydroisoxazoles and 4-halo-2,5-dihydroisoxazoles

2,5-Dihydroisoxazoles, 4-iodo-2,5-dihydroisoxazoles, and 4-bromo-2,5-dihydroisoxazoles were efficiently constructed from propargylic alcohols and N-tosyl hydroxylamine using ytterbium triflate, iodine and N-bromosuccinimide, respectively. N-sulfonylallenamide is postulated to be the key intermediate for these tandem transformations. Moreover, the resulting 4-iodo-2,5-dihydroisoxazoles could be elaborated by palladium-catalyzed carbonylation to generate 4-methoxycarbonyl-4,5-dihydroisoxazoles.