1.16 g (10.8 mmol) 1,2-phenylene diamine was dissolved in 10 ml dimethyl formamide, 2.1 g (15 mmol) potassium carbonate and 1.47 ml (10.8 mmol) 1-bromo-1-phenylethane were added with stirring. After 8 hours (h) at rt, most of the starting materials were consumed. Potassium bromide was filtered off, the solvent removed, the mixture redissolved in 20 ml THF and then 1,15 g (8 mmol) 4-cyanophenylisocyanate were slowly added and stirred for another 50 h at rt. The mixture was worked up by filtration, evaporated to dryness, dissolved in ethyl acetate and washed with diluted HCl, sodium carbonate solution and brine.
