Synthesis of substituted pyridyl ureas by selenium dioxide-catalyzed carbonylation Original Research Article

A series of commercially useful substituted pyridyl ureas have been synthesized via selenium dioxide-catalyzed reductive carbonylation of substituted nitrobenzene or substituted nitropyridine with amine as co-reagent and carbon monoxide as carbonyl reagent instead of phosgene in one-pot reaction. The recycling reusability of catalyst was also tested. It was also found that selenium dioxide-catalyzed reductive carbonylation of nitroaromatics exhibited reaction-controlled phase-transfer phenomena of the catalyst.