Liquid phase preparation of 2-H-2-oxazolines and 2-substituted-2- oxazolines

摘要

2-H-2-Oxazolines are prepared by contacting in liquid phase a N-(&bgr; -hydroxyalkyl)formamide with a small but catalytic amount of an inorganic zinc salt at elevated temperatures. Similarly, 2-substituted-2- oxazolines are prepared by contacting N-(2-hydroxyalkyl)carboxamides with a small but catalytic amount of an inorganic zinc salt. As an example, 2- H-2- oxazoline was prepared in approximately 72 percent yield by warming a mixture of N-(&bgr;-hydroxyethyl)formamide with a catalytic amount of zinc chloride at a temperature of from 180° C. to 185° C. /50 mm Hg for 2.2 hours. In this reaction, the desired oxazoline product was recovered as a codistillate with water during the course of the reaction.