Ethyl isocyanoacetate is used in the syntheses of 7-aza-tetrahydroindoles, oxazolines, benzodiazepines, imidazoles and oxazoles. For example, it is involved in the synthesis of 1H-indole-2-carboxylate by condensing with 2-bromo benzenealdehyde using CuI as a catalyst. It is a precursor used in the preparation of ethyl thiazole-4-carboxylate upon reaction with O-ethyl thioformate.
