The ethyl oxazole-4-carboxylate was directly and regioselectively alkenylated, benzylated and alkylated with alkenyl-, benzyl-, allyl- and alkyl halides in the presence of catalytic amounts of palladium acetate with caesium carbonate using Buchwald's JohnPhos ligand.

The palladium-catalysed direct 2-, 4- or 5-arylation of a wide range of heteroaromatics with aryl halides proceed in moderate to good yields using the eco-friendly solvents carbonates. The best yields were obtained using benzoxazole or thiazole derivatives. The arylation of furan, thiophene, pyrrole, imidazole or isoxazole derivatives was found to require a more elevated reaction temperature.

Catalytic direct (hetero)arylation of (hetero)arenes is an attractive alternative to traditional Kumada, Stille, Negishi and Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions, notably as it avoids the prior preparation and isolation of (hetero)arylmetals. Developments of this methodology in the oxazole series are reviewed in this article. Methodologies, selectivity, mechanism and future aspects are presented.