Several N-acyl-β-hydroxyamino acids were prepared and treated with di-tert-butyl dicarbonate in the presence of 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine, followed by treatment with N,N,NЈ,NЈ-tetramethylguanidine to give the corresponding N-acyldehydroamino acids in good to high yields. These were then treated with I 2 /K 2 CO 3 followed by 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene. The methyl esters of N-acyldehydroaminobutyric acid gave the corresponding substituted oxazoles in good to high yields. The N-acyldehydrophenylalanines gave 5-phenyloxazole derivatives in low to moderate yields together with β-iododehydrophenylalanines. Under the same conditions, N-acyldehydroalanines failed to give the corresponding oxazoles. However, when the reac-