Unprecedented thiocarbamidation of nitroarenes: a facile one-pot route to unsymmetrical thioureas

Abstract

Aromatic nitro compounds undergo one-pot thiocarbamide functionalization upon reacting with in situ generated dithiocarbamate anions in the presence of K₂CO₃ and DMF solvent to produce unsymmetrical thiourea compounds in good yields. Various cyclic and acyclic 2° amines, 1° amines, and aromatic amines reacted with CS₂ to form dithiocarbamate anions which combine with different nitroarenes resulting in the formation of thiourea compounds. The reaction is assumed to proceed through a nitrosobenzene intermediate.