I just wanna know what is the end product of hydrolysis of urea in urine. I know that the hydrolysis of urea will form ammonia and a subsequent rise in pH but will the ammonia react with the water from urine to form ammonium and hydroxide?
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The hydrolysis is the first of two reactions that occurs in aqueous urea. This reaction forms one equivalent of ammonia and one equivalent of carbamic acid. Carbamic acid rapidly decomposes to form gaseous carbon dioxide and another equivalent of ammonia:
The ammonia then simply participates in an equilibrium where it reacts with water to form ammonium hydroxide, or so it is commonly described. There is actually a fair amount of debate on this topic, but it typically written like this: $$\ce{NH3 + H2O <<=> NH4OH}$$
answered Mar 9, 2016 at 7:28
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1$\begingroup$ thanks for the answer! So basically you're saying that both of them would exist at the same time? $\endgroup$– Cora NMar 9, 2016 at 8:32
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$\begingroup$ Yes, in aqueous ammonia, you have both ammonia and ammonium hydroxide, but primarily ammonia. $\endgroup$ Mar 9, 2016 at 8:38