Why was urea synthesis a critical discovery for biochemists?

1 Answer
Ernest Z.
Aug 9, 2015

Wöhler's synthesis of urea showed that a substance previously available only from biological sources could be synthesized in the laboratory without involving living organisms.

Explanation:

In 1828, the German chemist Friedrich Wöhler attempted to prepare ammonium cyanate, #"NH"_4"OCN"#, by treating silver cyanate with ammonium chloride.

#"AgOCN" + "NH"_4"Cl" → "NH"_4"OCN"+ "AgCl"#

Instead, the expected ammonium cyanate rearranged to urea.

#"AgOCN" + "NH"_4"Cl" → "NH"_2"CONH"_2 + "AgCl"#

For the first time an organic compound, urea, was produced from an inorganic reactant, ammonium cyanate.

Before this, chemists could obtain urea only from biological sources such as urine.

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