Palladium-catalyzed reaction of aryl halides with ureas

A new method for the palladium-catalyzed arylation of ureas is described. The coupling reaction of urea and phenylurea with aryl halides containing electron-withdrawing groups in the p-position in dioxane in the presence of 0.5-1.0 mol% of Pd(2)dba(2). CHCl3, Xantphos and Cs2CO3 as a base gives N,N'-diarylureas in yields of 64-92%. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.