Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES) as Green and Efficient Solvent/Catalyst Systems for the Synthesis of Carbamates and Ureas from Carbonates

The use of sustainable deep eutectic solvents (DESs) as stable and green solvent/catalyst systems shows unprecedented high efficiency in the formation of carbamates and ureas from carbonates without any additional solvent. This new protocol provides a simple, fast, economically and eco-friendly method for the synthesis of broad scope carbamates and ureas providing remarkable yields in the presence of choline chloride:Zinc(II) chloride ([ChCl][ZnCl2](2)) under the mild reaction conditions. Moreover, the [ChCl][ZnCl2](2) can be reused for over five consecutive cycles without any significant loss of activity.