5070-13-3

white to pale yellow or beige powder

Bis(4-nitrophenyl) carbonate is used as a reagent for preparation of symmetrical and unsymmetrical urea and 4-nitrophenyl esters of N-protected amino acids. It acts as a peptide coupling reagent. It finds application as a reagent for the preparation of carbamate linked cytosines.

Dissolve the carbonate in CHCl3, wash it with 2N NaOH (3 x) and once with conc HCl, dry (Na2SO4), evaporate and crystallise the residue from toluene (authors say prisms from 15 volumes of *benzene). [Glatthard & Matter Helv Chim Acta 46 795 1963, Beilstein 6 III 820.]