4-Bromo-5-methyl-2-phenyl oxazole is a cyanide-free hydrocyanation reagent used in Pd/CuH-catalyzed asymmetric olefin hydrocyanation1. It serves as a masked nitrile equivalent, undergoing hydroarylation followed by [4+2]/retro-[4+2] cycloaddition to generate enantioenriched nitriles2. This method offers a safe alternative to hazardous hydrogen cyanide, making it valuable for pharmaceutical synthesis. The reagent enables selective Markovnikov and anti-Markovnikov hydrocyanation, producing bioactive nitrile-containing molecules. It is a bench-stable solid, ensuring controlled cyanation under mild conditions. The reagent scalability and selectivity make it a practical tool for medicinal and industrial chemistry.

Synonyms: 4-bromo-5-methyl-2-phenyl-1,3-oxazolel; 2-bromo-4-phenyl-1,3-oxazole