Inter- and intramolecular Diels-Alder/retro-Diels-Alder reactions of 4-silylated oxazoles

4-Silylated oxazoles have been shown to undergo inter- and intramolecular Diels-Alder/retro-Diels-Alder reactions with electron-poor alkynes to generate polysubstituted furans. The ease of synthesis of the requisite oxazoles by the rhodium-catalysed condensation of nitriles with silylated diazoacetate greatly increases the scope of this reaction.