Benzoxazole acetonitriles

A method of forming a compound of formula (Ia), comprising reacting a compound of formula (II) with a compound of formula (III′a) to form the compound of formula (IIa′), and reacting the compound of formula (IIa′) with a compound of formula (IV) to form the compound of formula (Ia), wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, sulfonyl, amino, C1-C6-alkyl C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-alkynyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, aryl, halogen, carboxy, aminocarbonyl, cyano and hydroxy and

• wherein R3 and R4 are each independently from each other H, C1-C6-alkyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-alkynyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, saturated or unsaturated 3-8-membered cycloalkyl, 3-8-membered heterocycloalkyl, C1-C6-alkyl aryl, C1-C6-alkyl heteroaryl, C1-C6-alkenyl aryl, C1-C6-alkenyl heteroaryl, C1-C6-alkynyl aryl, C1-C6-alkynyl heteroaryl, C1-C6-alkyl cycloalkyl, C1-C6-alkyl heterocycloalkyl, C1-C6-alkenyl cycloalkyl, C1-C6-alkenyl heterocycloalkyl, C1-C6-alkynyl cycloalkyl, or C1-C6-alkynyl heterocycloalkyl, or
• R3 and R4 may form a ring together with the nitrogen to which they are bound;
• and
• R2 is selected from the group consisting of H, C1-C6-alkyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, and C2-C6-alkynyl.