Question

What happens when urea is heated with dilute naoh?

Answer 1

Explanation:

Urea can be attacked by nucleophiles like any carbonyl. The immediate intermediate is a tetrahedral orthoacid which will break down to liberate ammonia once. The same process can be repeated a second time to liberate the second molecule of ammonia.

hydrolysis of urea

Technically, this is a hydrolysis catalysed by hydroxide. Hydroxide may be the reactive species but it is regenerated in the course of the reaction.

For urea to tautomerise to ammonium cyanate, a significant rearrangement and breaking a C−N bond would be required. Neither is likely in any way.