Wikipedia 10K Redux

Reconstructed by Reagle from Starling archive; see blog post for context.

Urea

Urea

An organic compound of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen, with the formula CO(NH2)2

In many land animals, it is the main end product of the metabolism of nitrogen-containg compounds, and is excreted in the urine.

Urea was discovered by H.M. Rouell in 1773. It was the first organic compound to be artificially synthesised in 1828 by Friedrich Wohler, who prepared it by the reaction of potassium cyanate with ammonium sulphate, thereby starting the

discipline of organic chemistry

Principal uses:

The manufacture of plastics (specifically, urea-formaldehyde resin)

?? other uses besides to be added