Theoretical investigations on the synthesis mechanism of cyanuric acid from NH₃ and CO₂.

In the synthesis of cyanuric acid from NH3 and CO2, urea and isocyanic acid OCNH are two pivotal intermediates. Based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the synthesis mechanism of cyanuric acid from NH3 + CO2 was investigated systematically. Urea can be synthesized from NH3 and CO2, and cyanuric acid can be obtained from urea or NH3 + CO2. In the stepwise mechanism of cyanuric acid from urea or NH3 + CO2, the energy barriers are relatively high, and the condition of high pressure and temperature does not decrease the energy barriers. Our theoretical model shows that cyanuric acid is actually acquired from OCNH via a one-step cycloaddition reaction.