A general method for the synthesis of unsymmetrically substituted ureas via palladium-catalyzed amidation.

A general and practical method for the preparation of unsymmetrically substituted ureas has been developed utilizing palladium-catalyzed amidation. Both aryl bromides and chlorides, as well as heteroaryl chlorides, have been coupled to aryl, benzyl, and aliphatic ureas by using a novel nonproprietary bipyrazole ligand (bippyphos).