Methylene diurea (MDU) is the

organic compound In chemistry, organic compounds are generally any chemical compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen or carbon-carbon bonds. Due to carbon's ability to catenate (form chains with other carbon atoms), millions of organic compounds are known. T ...

with the formula CH₂(NHC(O)NH₂)₂. It is a white water-soluble solid. The compound is formed by the condensation of

formaldehyde Formaldehyde ( , ) (systematic name methanal) is a naturally occurring organic compound with the formula and structure . The pure compound is a pungent, colourless gas that polymerises spontaneously into paraformaldehyde (refer to section ...

with

urea Urea, also known as carbamide, is an organic compound with chemical formula . This amide has two amino groups (–) joined by a carbonyl functional group (–C(=O)–). It is thus the simplest amide of carbamic acid. Urea serves an important ...

. Methylene diurea is the substrate for the enzyme methylenediurea deaminase.

Applications

MDU is an intermediate in the production of

urea-formaldehyde Urea-formaldehyde (UF), also known as urea-methanal, so named for its common synthesis pathway and overall structure, is a nontransparent thermosetting resin or polymer. It is produced from urea and formaldehyde. These resins are used in adhesiv ...

resins. Together with dimethylene triurea, MDU is a component of some

controlled-release fertilizer 224px, Methylene diurea (MDU) is component of the most popular controlled-release fertilizers. A controlled-release fertiliser (CRF) is a granulated fertiliser that releases nutrients gradually into the soil (i.e., with a controlled release period ...

s.{{Ullmann, doi= 10.1002/14356007.n10_n01 , title= Fertilizers, 2. Types , year=2009 , last1=Dittmar , first1=Heinrich , last2=Drach , first2=Manfred , last3=Vosskamp , first3=Ralf , last4=Trenkel , first4=Martin E. , last5=Gutser , first5=Reinhold , last6=Steffens , first6=Günter

References

Fertilizers Horticulture Ureas