H-1 and C-13 NMR spectra of eleven 2-phenacylbenzoxazoles (ketimine form) show that their CDCl3-solutions contains also (Z)-2-(benzo[d]oxazol-2-yl)-1-phenylethenols (enolimine form). Intramolecular hydrogen bonding in the latter tautomer was found to be significantly weaker than that one in respective (Z)-2-(2-hydroxy-2-phenylvinyl)pyridines. Integrals of the H-1 NMR signals were used to evaluate the molar ratio of the tautomers. Strong electron-donating substituents were found to stabilize the ketimine tautomer. pK(T) (negative logarithm of the equilibrium constant, K-T = [ketimine]/[enolimine]) was found to be linearly dependent on the Hammett substituent constant sigma. The results of the MP2 ab initio calculations reveal enolimine including an intramolecular (OHN)-N-center dot center dot center dot hydrogen bond to be the most stable form both with electron-donor and electron-acceptor substituents. The stability of ketimines is an intermediate of those found for enolimines and enaminones i.e., (E)-2-(benzo[d]oxazol-2(3H)-ylidene)-1-phenylethanones. C-13 CPMAS NMR spectral data reveal that in the crystalline state the ketimine tautomer is predominant in p-NMe2 substituted congener. On the other hand, enolimine forms were detected there when the substituent has less electron-donating character or when it is an electron-acceptor by character.