Melamine cyanurate

Melamine-cyanuric acid complex

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Names
IUPAC name 1,3,5-Triazine-2,4,6(1H,3H,5H)-trione + 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine (1:1)
Other names Melamine-cyanuric acid compound, melamine-cyanuric acid adduct, melamine cyanurate, melamine isocyanurate
Identifiers
CAS Number	37640-57-6 Y 70371-20-9 N
Jmol 3D model	Interactive image
MeSH	melamine+cyanurate
PubChem	93198
SMILES n1c(N)nc(N)nc1N.N1C(=O)NC(=O)NC1=O
Properties
Chemical formula	C6H9N9O3 (C3H6N6·C3H3N3O3)
Molar mass	255.19 g/mol
Solubility in water	none
Vapor pressure	{{{value}}}
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
N verify (what is YN ?)
Infobox references

Melamine cyanurate, also known as melamine-cyanuric acid adduct or melamine-cyanuric acid complex, is a crystalline complex formed from a 1:1 mixture of melamine and cyanuric acid. The substance is not a salt despite its non-systematic name melamine cyanurate. The complex is held together by an extensive two-dimensional network of hydrogen bonds between the two compounds, reminiscent to that seen in DNA base pairing. Melamine cyanurate forms spoke-like crystals from aqueous solutions and has been implicated as a causative agent for toxicity seen in the Chinese protein export contamination and the 2007 pet food recall.

Chemistry

The substance is best described as a melamine-cyanuric acid co-crystallate, complex, or non-covalent adduct. The two compounds do not form a salt as suggested by its non-systematic trivial name melamine cyanurate.

Melamine and cyanuric acid form a jigsaw puzzle-like two-dimensional hydrogen bonding network because of the complementarity of the two compounds, similar to DNA base pairing.

Uses

Melamine cyanurate is commonly used as a fire retardant.

Toxicity

It has been considered to be more toxic than either melamine or cyanuric acid alone.

LD₅₀ in rats and mice (ingested):

• 4.1 g/kg - Melamine cyanurate
• 6.0 g/kg - Melamine
• 7.7 g/kg - Cyanuric acid

A toxicology study conducted after recent pet food recalls concluded that the combination of melamine and cyanuric acid in diet does lead to acute renal failure in cats. A 2008 study produced similar experimental results in rats and characterized the melamine and cyanuric acid in contaminated pet food from the 2007 outbreak.

File:Melamine-cyanuric acid complex color.png

Section of the extensive two-dimensional hydrogen bond network (dashed) between melamine (blue) and cyanuric acid (red)

See also

• 1,3,5-Triazine
• Triazines