Resumen de The Formation of Urea:: Controversies and Confusion
Urea is mentioned in all introductory organic courses because it was the first natural compound to be synthesized in the laboratory. This synthesis contradicted the theory of vitalism, which maintained that natural compounds contained some vital force that made them different from other compounds, and it made posssible the now gigantic field of modern synthetic organic chemistry. This paper gives detailed information about the synthesis and many other interesting aspects of urea chemistry that are often overshadowed by the discussion of its historical import. Wöhler's alleged position with respect to vitalism, the mechanism of his formation of urea, the proper notation of the cyanate and isocyanate ions, and the structure and properties of urea inclusion compounds and of the starch-iodine complex are discussed. Finally, a few remarks are made about the execution of appropriate experiments.
