Ammonium cyanate

Ammonium cyanate is a chemical compound. It is the ammonium salt of isocyanic acid. Its chemical formula is NH4OCN.

History

Ammonium cyanate is important to the history of chemistry. Friedrich Wöhler, who had earlier discovered isomerism in silver cyanate, made ammonium cyanate to use as a source of the cyanide anion. Instead of releasing cyanide, heating ammonium cyanate instead made urea, an organic compound that is an isomer of ammonium cyanate. Wöhler's accidental discovery was the first organic synthesis.[1]

References

  1. ↑ Ramberg, Peter J. (2000). "The Death of Vitalism and the Birth of Organic Chemistry: Wohler's Urea Synthesis and the Disciplinary Identity of Organic Chemistry". Ambix. 47 (3): 170–195. doi:10.1179/amb.2000.47.3.170. PMID 11640223.
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