Abstract The methanolysis rate constants and dissociation constants have been measured of benzoyl derivatives of substituted phenylureas and phenylthioureas. The dissociation constants of the thio derivatives are higher by 1 order of magnitude and the rate constants are higher by 2 orders of magnitude than the respective values of the oxygen analogues. Logarithms of the rate and dissociation constants have been correlated with the Hammet σ ...