A Unified Approach for the Synthesis of Isourea and Isothiourea from Isonitrile and -Dibromoarylsulfonamides.

A unified approach has been developed for the synthesis of both isourea and isothiourea in a three-component coupling reaction by treating alcohols or thiols respectively with -dibromoarylsulfonamides and isonitrile and in the presence of KCO. This metal-free process proceeds via carbodiimide intermediate at room temperature within a very short reaction time. A library of sulfonylisoureas and isothioureas has been made using this synthetic protocol with wide substrate scope in good to high yields.