Why would urea, a polar molecule, be soluble in both a polar and nonpolar solvent?

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Why would urea, a polar molecule, be soluble in both a polar and nonpolar solvent?

2007-03-04 05:40:30 · 1 answers · asked by redalert 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry

1 answers

It can hydrogen-bond, so it appreciably soluble in water.

Its solubility in non-polar solvents can be explained by the cancelling-out effects of having an oxygen at one end, and 2 x N atoms at the other - the whole molecule isn't very polar.

2007-03-04 05:55:29 · answer #1 · answered by Gervald F 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋