Abstract Several 2-aryl and 2-heteroaryloxazolo [4, 5-b] pyridines were synthesised in high yields from zwitterion or hydroxyamidine derivatives by heating in dimethylacetamide. These intermediates were generated via hetarynic reaction with the complex base NaNH 2-t- BuONa (5: 2). The same reactions were possible with quinoline derivatives.