An improved protocol for synthesis of N-arylamides and benzoxazoles by the copper-catalyzed reaction of aryl halides with nitriles

An improved protocol for the synthesis of N-arylamides and benzoxazoles by the copper-catalyzed reaction of aryl halides with nitriles has been developed. Use of acetaldoxime as the hydrolysis reagent instead of H2O facilitates the operation of the reaction. The significantly decreased amount of nitriles, along with use of weak base K2CO3 instead of strong base KOH, makes this transformation atom-efficient and environmentally benign. A variety of N-arylamides and benzoxazole derivatives can be synthesized according to this approach.