“…We then examined existing synthetic approaches looking for an optimal, cost- and time-effective method, that would account for the following requirements to parallel synthesis: (a) one-pot procedure with an easy purification protocol; (b) moisture stable starting reagents, which would allow creating highly diverse sets of compounds; and (c) addition of all components concurrently and without temperature control. These criteria made most reported approaches inapplicable for the parallel synthesis: phosgene, , triphosgene , are toxic reagents; gases CO 2 , H 2 are inconvenient in handling; many isocyanates , and carbamates , are commercially unavailable; highly active 1,1′-carbonyldiimidazole , and chloroformates − need special care to prevent formation of the side products (symmetrical ureas in case of highly nucleophilic alkyl amines or chlorinated compounds in case of functionalized amines, e.g., amino alcohols). We therefore focused on the methods utilizing carbonates, for example, diethyl carbonate, bis(phenyl) carbonate and bis( p -nitrophenyl) carbonate. − The typical two-step procedure includes the interaction of a carbonate with the first amine forming a carbamate, which further reacts with the second amine to form the urea (Scheme ).…”