The reaction of o-lithiated O-aryl N,N-diethylcarbamates with (hetero)aromatic nitriles gives rise to functionalized salicylidene urea derivatives in high yields through a new 1,5-O → N carbamoyl migration. This Snieckus–Fries-type rearrangement nicely complements previously known O → C and O → O related shifts. In addition, when dimethylmalononitrile is used as the electrophilic partner, the carbamoyl shift is preferred over the expected transnitrilation reaction.
