One Pot Synthesis of Methyl N-Phenyl Carbamate from Aniline, Urea and Methanol

Synthesis mechanism of dimethylhexane-1,6-dicarbamate from 1,6-hexamethylenediamine, urea and methanol: A molecular scale study based on density functional theory

This work provides a molecular scale insight into non-phosgene synthesis based on the reaction of dimethylhexane-1,6-dicarbamate from 1,6-hexamethylenediamine, urea and methanol with computational electronic method. By exploring almost all possible reaction modes and comparing the effective barrier of each channel, this work analyzes the optimal reaction mechanism for both non-catalytic and self-catalytic systems. The mechanism without catalysis has a high effective free energy barrier (FEB) of 47.0 kcal mol^-1. As for self-catalytic system, after sorting out the reaction pathway network, an effective FEB of 24.6 kcal mol^-1 is confirmed which corresponds to dissociation of urea.

Recent Advances in Fabrication of Non-Isocyanate Polyurethane-Based Composite Materials

Polyurethanes (PUs) are a significant group of polymeric materials that, due to their outstanding mechanical, chemical, and physical properties, are used in a wide range of applications. Conventionally, PUs are obtained in polyaddition reactions between diisocyanates and polyols. Due to the toxicity of isocyanate raw materials and their synthesis method utilizing phosgene, new cleaner synthetic routes for polyurethanes without using isocyanates have attracted increasing attention in recent years. Among different attempts to replace the conventional process, polyaddition of cyclic carbonates (CCs) and polyfunctional amines seems to be the most promising way to obtain non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs) or, more precisely, polyhydroxyurethanes (PHUs), while primary and secondary –OH groups are being formed alongside urethane linkages. Such an approach eliminates hazardous chemical compounds from the synthesis and leads to the fabrication of polymeric materials with unique and tunable properties. The main advantages include better chemical, mechanical, and thermal resistance, and the process itself is invulnerable to moisture, which is an essential technological feature. NIPUs can be modified via copolymerization or used as matrices to fabricate polymer composites with different additives, similar to their conventional counterparts. Hence, non-isocyanate polyurethanes are a new class of environmentally friendly polymeric materials. Many papers on the matter above have been published, including both original research and extensive reviews. However, they do not provide collected information on NIPU composites fabrication and processing. Hence, this review describes the latest progress in non-isocyanate polyurethane synthesis, modification, and finally processing. While focusing primarily on the carbonate/amine route, methods of obtaining NIPU are described, and their properties are presented. Ways of incorporating various compounds into NIPU matrices are characterized by the role of PHU materials in copolymeric materials or as an additive. Finally, diverse processing methods of non-isocyanate polyurethanes are presented, including electrospinning or 3D printing.

Methyl N-phenyl carbamate synthesis over Zn/Al/Ce mixed oxide derived from hydrotalcite-like precursors

Methyl N-phenyl carbamate (MPC) is an important intermediate for the green synthesis of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) as well as many other important products. In the present work, Zn/Al/Ce mixed oxides derived from hydrotalcite-like precursors were employed as effective and recoverable heterogeneous catalyst for MPC synthesis via DMC aminolysis. Zn/Al/Ce hydrotalcite-like precursors prepared via coprecipitation method and the resulting catalysts were characterized by means of XRD, BET, SEM and XPS. Strong interactions within the Zn/Al/Ce mixed oxides were observed via the addition of appropriate amount of cerium. The mixed oxides containing 2.5% cerium showed high DMC aminolysis activity giving aniline conversion of 95.8%, MPC selectivity of 81.6% and MPC yield of 78.2%. Moreover, as a heterogeneous catalyst, it also exhibited superiorities of easy recovery and recyclable stability for MPC synthesis.

Zn/Al/Ce mixed oxides derived from hydrotalcite-like precursors were employed as effective and recoverable heterogeneous catalyst for MPC synthesis via DMC aminolysis.

Iron-Catalyzed Reaction of Urea with Alcohols and Amines: A Safe Alternative for the Synthesis of Primary Carbamates

A general study of the iron-catalyzed reaction of urea with nucleophiles is here presented. The carbamoylation of alcohols allows for the synthesis of N-unsubstituted (primary) carbamates, including present drugs (Felbamate and Meprobamate), without the necessity to apply phosgene and related derivatives. Using amines as nucleophiles gave rise to the respective mono- and disubstituted ureas via selective transamidation reaction. These atom-economical transformations provide a direct and selective access to valuable compounds from cheap and readily available urea using a simple Lewis-acidic iron(II) catalyst.