Facile Gold-Catalyzed Heterocyclization of Terminal Alkynes and Cyanamides Leading to Substituted 2-Amino-1,3-Oxazoles.

Facile gold-catalyzed heterocyclization based upon intermolecular trapping of the generated α-oxo gold carbenes with various cyanamides R(2)R(3)NCN (R(2)/R(3) = Alk/Alk, -(CH2)2O(CH2)2-, Ar/Ar, Ar/H) has been developed. In most cases, 2-amino-1,3-oxazoles functionalized at the nitrogen atom as well as at the fifth position of the heterocyclic ring (12 examples) were isolated in good to moderate yields.