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Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Versatile CO2 Transformations into Complex Products: A One-pot Two-step Strategy
Published on: November 9, 2019
Parallel synthesis of ureas and carbamates from amines and CO2 under mild conditions
Scott L Peterson1, Sabrina M Stucka, Christopher J Dinsmore
1Department of Chemistry, Merck Research Laboratories, 33 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. scott_peterson@merck.com
Abstract:
A mild and efficient library synthesis technique has been developed for the synthesis of ureas and carbamates from carbamic acids derived from the DBU-catalyzed reaction of amines and gaseous carbon dioxide. Carbamic acids derived from primary amines reacted with Mitsunobu reagents to generate isocyanates in situ which were condensed with primary and secondary amines to afford the desired ureas. Similarly, carbamic acids from secondary amines reacted with alcohols activated with Mitsunobu reagents to form carbamates.
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