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. The ...

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

condensation Condensation is the change of the state of matter from the gas phase into the liquid phase, and is the reverse of vaporization. The word most often refers to the water cycle. It can also be defined as the change in the state of water vapor to ...

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 F ...

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 r ...

. Methylene diurea is the substrate for the enzyme

methylenediurea deaminase Methylenediurea deaminase (, ''methylenediurease'') is an enzyme with systematic name ''methylenediurea aminohydrolase'' found in '' Brucella anthropi'', a bacterium. This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction: : methylenediurea + 2 H ...

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 adhesive ...

resins. Together with

dimethylene triurea Dimethylene triurea (DMTU) is the organic compound with the formula (H2NC(O)NHCH2NH)2CO. It is a white water-soluble solid. The compound is formed by the condensation of formaldehyde with urea. Both branched and linear isomers exist. Applicatio ...

, 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