Dehydrative synthesis of chiral oxazolidinones catalyzed by alkali metal carbonates under low pressure of CO2

Dehydrative synthesis of oxazolidinones from amino alcohols and CO2 was achieved in the presence of alkali metal carbonates such as Cs2CO3 as catalyst. It is noteworthy that 1 atm of CO2 is enough for the reaction to proceed and no special dehydrating agent is required in this system. A mechanstic study showed that the OH of amino alcohol acts as nucleophile and the OH in the carbamic acid moiety is liberated during the cyclization process.