History
- Urea was discovered in Urine in 1773 by H.M. Rouelle
- However Friedrich Wohler is the scientist most known for his involvement with the compound
- Wohler was attempting the synthesis of ammonium cyanate by mixing two salts, silver cyanate and ammonium chloride, however the result of the compound was Urea
- This was a huge discovery in the scientific world because before it was believed that organic compounds such as Urea could only be produced organically, this theory was called "vitalism"
- With the inorganic creation of Urea this theory was shattered and the definition of organic compounds changed from compounds only coming from organisms to compounds that are carbon based.
- Later in 1870 Urea was mass produced by dehydrating ammonium carbamate (ammonia with carbon dioxide) at high temperatures