A wide range of 2-substituted benzoxazoles were synthesized from the corresponding N-(2-iodophenyl) benzamides through intramolecular C-(aryl)-O bond formation via Ullmann-type coupling cyclization in the presence of a catalytic amount of an easily available BINAM-copper(II) complex under very mild reaction conditions (82 degrees C). Less reactive bromo and chloro analogues of the N-(2-halophenyl) benzamides were also successfully cyclized to produce benzoxazoles, without increasing the catalyst loading.