Mechanism of Polyphosphoric Acid and Phosphorus Pentoxide−Methanesulfonic Acid as Synthetic Reagents for Benzoxazole Formation

The mechanism of 2-phenylbenzoxazole formation from benzoic acid and o -aminophenol in polyphosphoric acid (PPA) is studied by NMR spectroscopy and chemical analysis. Benzoic acid reacts with PPA to form benzoic−phosphoric anhydride and benzoic−polyphosphoric anhydride. The ratio of mixed anhydride to free carboxylic acid increases dramatically as the P 2 O 5 content of PPA increases, but this ratio is independent of reaction temperature and time. When o -aminophenol dissolves in PPA, part of the hydroxyl group is converted to phosphate ester, and only protonated amine is detected. Benzoic acid, mixed anhydride, and PPA are in dynamic equilibrium, and so are PPA, o -aminophenol, and its phosphate ester. The mixed anhydride and o -aminophenol react to form 2-aminophenyl benzoate as the first reaction intermediate which undergoes rapid acyl migration to generate 2-hydroxybenzanilide. Ring closure of 2-hydroxybenzanilide to form 2-phenylbenzoxazole is acid catalyzed. The reactive components in phosphorus pentoxide−methanesulfonic acid (P 2 O 5 −MSA) which is a convenient alternative to PPA are very similar to those present in PPA. Benzoic acid is also converted into mixed anhydride in P 2 O 5 −MSA.