Effect of polar aprotic solvents and organometallic catalysts on the reaction of alcohols with isocyanates

DMF and DMSO catalyse the reaction of butanol with PhNCO but inhibit that with aliphatic isocyanates, due to formation of an active 1:1 charge transfer complex with the aromatic isocyanate. Similarity was found in the mode of catalysis of the urethane reaction with these solvents to that with tert, amines. Various organometallic compounds were tested as catalysts for urethane formation with aliphatic isocyanates. Those that gave fast addition to the NCO group, such as tributyltin oxide, Zr(OBu)₄ and Zr(acac)₄, were the strongest catalysts. In the presence of organometallic catalysts, urethane formation was the sole reaction and trimerization of the isocyanate was suppressed.