Biuret

From WikiLectures

Formation of biuret from urea

Biuret is the condensation product of two molecules of urea. It is formed by the annealing of urea to ammonia. The bonds between the oxygen and nitrogen resemble a peptide bond in nature. Due to the lone electron pairs on the oxygen and nitrogen atoms, biuret readily forms complex compounds.

Biuret is the smallest molecule that reacts in the so-called biuret reaction (biuret test) used to detect peptides and proteins and to the protein determination.

IUPAC = carbamoylurea