Clean and efficient synthesis of O-silylcarbamates and ureas in supercritical carbon dioxide

The synthesis of a family of O-silylcarbamates from the corresponding silylamines has been achieved simply by heating the silylamine in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO(2)), and these O-silylcarbamates have been shown to be effective precursors for the synthesis of a range of symmetrical and unsymmetrical ureas.