Urea can be considered as ammonium cyanate from Friedrich Wöhler work. It is know that cyanic acid hydrolise to CO2 and ammonia. Some enzyme are
able to operate complete hydrolisis of urea to CO2 and ammonia in sligthly basic medium, for a chemist complete hydrolysis can be made using strong
base like NaOH.
If urea is hydrolised with H2SO4, fallowing the logic that I would explain, it could possibly make CO2 and ammonium (bi)sulphate.
My question:
Is this sound plausible, does it worth experimentation?
Thanks!
[Edited on 30-8-2012 by plante1999]woelen - 30-8-2012 at 22:01
Cyanates indeed react quickly in the way as you suggest, but the step from urea to cyanate is a slow one. A normal solution of urea in water only
hydrolyses very slowly and I do not think that this is a suitable way of making ammonium sulfate at all.
In the soil, urea is hydrolysed slowly as well, possibly with the help of some biological catalysts. In the soil this is advantageous, because it
allows slow release of nitrogen in a form, suitable for plants.
You might try to heat urea and then add acid. Another option could be addition of urea to strong acid and heat that solution. I'm not sure though,
just give it a try. Other people with more knowledge of organic chemistry may jump in and give more conclusive answers on the feasibility of making
ammonium sulfate by heating a urea/H2SO4 mix.Rogeryermaw - 31-8-2012 at 01:03
we all know that wiki is not the best source for chemistry related information but it shows that both ammonium sulfate and ammonium bisulfate are
products of reaction of ammonia treated with sulfuric acid. i wonder if ammonia being in aqueous solution is the difference.
it also goes on to say you can decompose ammonium sulfate to ammonium bisulfate through heating.
Quote:
Ammonium sulfate decomposes upon heating above 250 °C, first forming ammonium bisulfate. Heating at higher temperatures results in decomposition into
ammonia, nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, and water.
