Wöhlerszintézis

Wöhlerszintézis is the chemical synthesis of urea from ammonium cyanate. This reaction, discovered by Friedrich Wöhler in 1828, was a landmark event in organic chemistry. Prior to this synthesis, it was widely believed that organic compounds could only be produced by living organisms, a theory known as vitalism. Wöhler's successful synthesis demonstrated that an organic compound could be prepared from inorganic starting materials in a laboratory, challenging the prevailing vitalist view.

The synthesis involves heating ammonium cyanate, which isomerizes to urea. The reaction can be represented by the following equation: NH4CNO → (NH2)2CO. This relatively simple chemical transformation had profound implications for the development of organic chemistry as a scientific discipline. It paved the way for the synthesis of countless other organic compounds, leading to a deeper understanding of their structure, properties, and reactions. The Wöhler synthesis is often considered a pivotal moment that helped establish organic chemistry as a distinct and rigorous field of study, independent of the need for vital force.