Amine salts, coordination compound synthesis with

From a practical point of view, isocyanates, together with carbamates and ureas (Chapter 3), are the most important organic products discussed in this book. Their synthesis from nitroarenes has indeed been the subject of many patents. There are also limited examples of aliphatic isocyanates obtained by this route. Organic mono- and diisocyanates may be prepared in a continues liquid phase method by treating the appropriate amine with phosgene. However, the reaction is rather complex [6] and, besides the use of the dangerous phosgene, the formation of the corrosive hydrochloric acid creates several problems. Aliphatic isocyanates can also be obtained from olefins with isocyanate ion in the presence of a salt of a coordination compound of palladium or platinum [7], from olefins with isocyanic acid in the vapour phase over Pt/ALOs [8], and from formamides, by oxidation over a silver catalyst [9]. Apparently only the last reaction seems to have some potential practical applications [10]. 

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