Synthesis of Toluene-2,4-Bisurea from 2,4-Toluene Diamine and Urea and the Reaction Kinetics

Abstract Toluene-2,4-bisurea (TBU) is an important intermediate for urea route to dimethyl toluene-2,4-dicarbamate and the study on TBU synthesis via the reaction of 2,4-toluene diamine (TDA) and urea is of great significance. Firstly, thermodynamic analysis shows that the reaction is exothermic and a high equilibrium conversion of TDA is expected due to its large reaction equilibrium constant. Secondly, under the suitable reaction conditions, 130 °C, 7 h, and molar ratio of TDA/zinc acetate/urea/sulfolane=1/0.05/3.5/10, TDA conversion is 54.3%, and TBU yield and selectivity are 39.8% and 73.3% respectively. Lastly, the synthesis of TBU is a 1st order reaction with respect to TDA and the reaction kinetics model is established. This work will provide useful information for commercializing the urea route to toluene-2,4-dicarbamate (TDC).