An Easy and Efficient One-Step Procedure for the Preparation of Alkyl and Aryl Alkylcarbamates from S-Methyl N-Alkylthiocarbamates

A general, one-step procedure for the synthesis of alkyl and aryl alkylcarbamates, by the direct reaction of S-methyl N-alkyl-thiocarbamates with alcohols or phenols in toluene at reflux in the presence of triethylamine, is reported. All the target products were obtained in high yield (15 examples, average yield 94%) and very high purity (>99.2%). The recovery of a co-product of industrial interest, metanethiol, in an amount of one mole for each mole of thiocarbamate, with complete exploitation of the reagent, should also be noted.