Microwave assisted, ligand free, copper catalyzed reaction of aryl halides with phenyl urea

The ligand free coupling reaction of phenyl urea with different functionalized aryl halides in the presence of air stable Cu2O and t-BuOK as a base gives symmetrical and unsymmetrical diarylureas in relatively high yields. This method is milder than the palladium catalyzed arylation and avoids the use of toxic phosphine ligand.