I2/CuO-catalyzed tandem cyclization strategy for one-pot synthesis of substituted 2-aminothiozole from easily available aromatic ketones/α,β-unsaturated ketones and thiourea

A concise and efficient one-pot process from easily available methyl ketones/unsaturated methyl ketones and thiourea was developed for the synthesis of 2-aminothiazoles under the media of I2/CuO. The method can highly stereoselectivity obtain the E-isomers of 4-ethenyl-2-aminothiazoles (5a–f). All these target molecules were characterized by NMR, HRMS and IR spectra. Furthermore, the target compounds 3c and 5b were further determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis.