High-pressure preparation of carbanilide from nitrobenzene, carbonyl sulfide, carbon monoxide, and water

Carbanilide is prepared from nitrobenzene in a procedure which requires only one process step. An aromatic nitro compound is treated with a mixture of carbonyl sulfide, carbon monoxide, and water in an organic base such as pyridine. Yields of 50 mol % of carbanilide from nitrobenzene are obtained. Aniline, a reaction intermediate, is the only other major product. A German patent, 2,317,122, has recently shown that this process can be extended to the preparation of Karyl-N'-alkyl ureas starting with an aryl nitro compound and an alkyl amine.