Add half of the ammonium cerium(IV) nitrate (285 mg, 0.52 mmol) to a solution of 4-[3-(4-methoxy-phenoxymethyl)-[1,2,4]oxadiazol-5-ylmethyl]-benzoic acid ethyl ester (193 mg, 0.52 mmol) in acetonitrile (9 mL) and water (2.3 mL) at room temperature. Stir the reaction mixture at room temperature for one hour and add the second half of the ammonium cerium(IV) nitrate (285 mg, 0.52 mmol). Stir at room temperature for an additional hour, dilute the reaction is with saturated aqueous sodium hydrideCO3, stir for 5 minutes, dilute with water, and extracte with ethyl acetate (3×). Wash the combined organic layers with brine, dry over MgSO4, and concentrate. Purify the residue by flash column chromatography using 50% ethyl acetate/hexane to give the title compound (720 mg, 81%). LC-MS (m/e): 263 (M+1).
