Synthesis of Oxazolidin‐2‐ones by Oxidative Coupling of Isonitriles, Phenyl Vinyl Selenone, and Water

Reaction of alkyl isocyanides, phenyl vinyl selenone, and water in the presence of a catalytic amount of Cs 2 CO 3 afforded oxazolidin‐2‐ones in good yields. This unprecedented heteroannulation process created four chemical bonds in a single operation with the isocyano group acting formally as a polarized double bond and phenyl vinyl selenone as a latent 1,3‐dipole. The phenylselenonyl group played a triple role as an electron‐withdrawing group to activate the 1,4‐addition, a leaving group, and a latent oxidant in this transformation.