Haloacetylated enol ethers .7. Synthesis of 3-aryl-5-trihalomethylisoxazoles and 3-aryl-5-hydroxy-5-trihalomethyl-4,5-dihydroisoxazoles

beta-Aryl-beta-methoxyvinyl trihalomethyl ketones 1a-g, 2a-g [aryl = p-YC6H4 where Y=H, Me, OMe, F, Cl, Br, NO2] are cyclocondensed with hydroxylamine hydrochloride to afford the 3-aryl-5-hydroxy-5-trihalomethyl-4,5-dihydroisoxazoles 3a-g, 4a-f in good yield. The dehydratation of compounds 3a-g with concentrated sulfuric acid, led the corresponding 3-aryl-5-trichloromethylisoxazoles 5a-g. An alternative one-pot procedure yields 3-aryl-5-trihalomethylisoxazoles 5,6a-g directly by cyclocondesation of 1,2a-g with hydroxylamine hydrochloride in the presence of an excess of concentrated hydrochloric acid.