Ruthenium Complex-Catalyzed Facile Synthesis of 2-Substituted Benzo-azoles

Ruthenium complex shows high catalytic activity for the reaction of 2-aminophenol with primary alcohols to give the corresponding 2-substituted benzoxazoles in high yields. Similarly, 2-substituted benzimidazoles are also synthesized readily by the ruthenium catalyzed reaction of 1,2-phenylenediamine with primary alcohols.