As part of our efforts directed at the synthesis of antipicornavirus agents,'we required a general synthesis of 3-methyl-5-alkylisoxazoles. Numerous methods are available for the synthesis of isoxazoles. 2 Barber and Olofson3" have described a convenient synthesis of 5- arylisoxazoles. In this method, oxime dianions4 are acylated with NJV-dialkylarylamides to give, following acid hydrolysis, the 5-aryliso~ azoles.~ 5-Alkylisoxazoles are not obtained ...