“…The mixture was stirred for 30 min before being diluted with saturated NH4CI solution and extracted with EtgO to give an oil (1.46 g) which was dissolved in CH3CN (70 mL). Methyl bromoacetate (0.60 g, 3.9 mmol), K2C03 (0.59 g, 4.3 mmol), and KI (catalytic quantity) were added, and the mixture was heated at reflux for 1 h. The mixture was filtered through Celite and concentrated and the residual oil subjected sequentially to column and radial chromatography over silica gel using CHCls as eluent to give (Z)-9a (0.97 g, 56%): IR (film) 1765,1740,1215 cm-1; NMR (CDCls) 1.20 (3H, t, J = 7 Hz, OCH2C773), 3.79 (3H, s, C02C773), 4.39 (2H, q, «7 = 7 Hz, OCT72CH3), 4.62 (2H, s OC772), 6.90 (1H, dd, «7=7 Hz, «7' = 2 Hz, aromatic 77 ortho to O), 6.98 (1H, d, «7 = 2 Hz, aromatic 77 ortho to O), 7.10 (1H, d, «7= 7 Hz, aromatic 77para to O), 7.23 (0.45H, s, C77C13), 7.25-7.45 (7H, m, aromatic 77), 7.55-7.73 (4H, m, aromatic 77), 7.62 (E)-Ethyla-[[3-(2-methoxy-2-oxoethoxy)phenyl]methylene]-4,5-diphenyl-2-oxazoleacetate ((E)•9a) was prepared from (£)-14 (2.88 g, 5.5 mmol) via an analogous procedure to that described for (Z)-14 to afford (E)-9a (2.33 g, 100%): IR (film) 1760,1715,1450 cm-1; NMR (CDC13) 1.27 (3H, t, «7 = 7 Hz, OCH2C773), 3.59 (3H, s, OC773), 4.28 (2H, q, «7 = 7 Hz, OC772CH3), 4.39 (2H, s, OCH2), 5.22 (0.4H, s, C772C12), 6.73 (1H, d, «7 = 2 Hz, aromatic 77 ortho to O), 6.85-6.95 (2H, m, aromatic 77 ortho and para to O), 7.19 (1H, t, «7 = 7 Hz, aromatic 77 meta to O), 7.20-7.40 (6H, m, aromatic 77), 7.53 (2H, m, aromatic 77), 7.68 (2H, m, aromatic 77), 8.03 (1H, s, olefinic 77); MS m/z 484 (MH+). Anal.…”