''N'',''N''′-Dimethylpropyleneurea (DMPU) is a cyclic

urea Urea, also known as carbamide, is an organic compound with chemical formula . This amide has two amino groups (–) joined by a carbonyl functional group (–C(=O)–). It is thus the simplest amide of carbamic acid. Urea serves an important r ...

sometimes used as a polar, aprotic organic

solvent A solvent (s) (from the Latin '' solvō'', "loosen, untie, solve") is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas, or a supercritical fluid. Water is a solvent for ...

. In 1985,

Dieter Seebach Dieter Seebach is a German chemist known for his synthesis of biopolymers and dendrimers, and for his contributions to stereochemistry. He was born on 31 October 1937 in Karlsruhe. He studied chemistry at the University of Karlsruhe (TH) under th ...

showed that it is possible to replace the suspected carcinogen

hexamethylphosphoramide Hexamethylphosphoramide, often abbreviated HMPA, is a phosphoramide (an amide of phosphoric acid) with the formula This colorless liquid is a useful reagent in organic synthesis. Structure and reactivity HMPA is the oxide of the highly basic ter ...

(HMPA) with DMPU.

References

Further reading