Unexpected Decarboxylation‐Triggered o‐Hydroxyl‐Controlled Redox Condensation of Phenylglycines with 2‐Nitrophenols in Aqueous Media

A decarboxylation‐triggered and o‐hydroxyl‐controlled hydrogen‐transfer strategy for the one‐pot synthesis of benzoxazoles from readily available amino acids and 2‐nitrophenols is reported. On the basis of this autoredox reaction, the C−N bond can be efficiently constructed to afford the desired products in moderate to good yields under transition‐metal‐free conditions in aqueous media.