GENERAL METHOD: Thioacetamide (0.75 g, 10 mmol) and bromoacetone (1.99 g, 10 mmol) were dissolved in 5 mL of DMF in a 20 mL pressure tube. The reaction mixture was sealed and heated in an oil bath at 60 °C for 1 hour. After the reaction was completed, the reaction mixture was diluted with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride solution. Subsequently, the target product 2,4-dimethylthiazole was extracted with ethyl acetate. The combined organic layers were dried with anhydrous magnesium sulfate, filtered and concentrated. Finally, the crude product was purified by silica gel column chromatography (eluent: hexane/ethyl acetate) to afford 2,4-dimethylthiazole in 99% yield as a white solid.
