Dipolar aprotic solvent recommended as a replacement for the carcinogenic hexamethylphosphoric triamide (HMPA) in many reactions: Helv. Chim. Acta, 65, 385 (1982). DMPU is non-mutagenic: Chimia, 39, 148 (1985). It is more useful than the lower homologue 1,3-Dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone, (mp 8oC) for low-temperature reactions. Can be used as a general replacement for HMPA in organolithium reactions: J. Am. Chem. Soc., 107, 719 (1985). Has been found to be comparable to HMPA in promoting reductive coupling reactions with SmI2: J. Am. Chem. Soc., 110, 5064 (1988); J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 1775 (1992), and also in other reductions with the same reagent: J. Org. Chem., 58, 5008 (1993).
