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Names | |
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Preferred IUPAC name
1,3,5-Triazinane-2,4,6-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
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Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol)
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ChemSpider | |
ECHA InfoCard | 100.048.687 |
MeSH | melamine+cyanurate |
PubChem CID
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CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
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Properties | |
C6H9N9O3
(C3H6N6·C3H3N3O3) | |
Molar mass | 255.19 g/mol |
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Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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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 of the guanine–cytosine base pairs found in DNA.[2] Melamine cyanurate forms spoke-like crystals from aqueous solutions [3] and has been implicated as a causative agent for toxicity seen in the Chinese protein export contamination and the 2007 pet food recall.[3] This complex is cited as an example of supramolecular chemistry.[4]
Melamine cyanurate is used as a flame retardant, most commonly in polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyamide 6 (nylon 6) and polyamide 6,6 (nylon 6:6).[5] It is also used to fireproof in polyester fabrics.
It has been considered to be more toxic than either melamine or cyanuric acid alone.[6]
LD50 in rats and mice (ingested):
A toxicology study conducted after recent pet food recalls concluded that the combination of melamine and cyanuric acid in diet does lead to acute kidney injury in cats.[7] A 2008 study produced similar experimental results in rats and characterized the melamine and cyanuric acid in contaminated pet food from the 2007 outbreak.[8]