a Route A: PhCOCHClPh; route B: -. b The product obtained in 33% yield was indeed a mixture of the oxazole (4%) and a byproduct, benzil (29%). Abstract:The synthetic methods to prepare 2-alkyl(aryl)-4,5-diphenyloxazoles and 2-alkyl(aryl)-4-phenyloxazoles were improved on the basis of a mechanistic study of oxazole formation from α -hydroxy ketones (carboxylic esters of benzoin and phenacyl alcohols). By these methods, seven trisubstituted oxazoles and twelve disubstituted oxazoles of the title compounds were prepared.