Related compounds Molar mass 278.22 g/mol | Formula C8H14N4O7 | |
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Diazolidinyl urea is an antimicrobial preservative used in cosmetics. It is chemically related to imidazolidinyl urea which is used in the same way. Diazolidinyl urea acts as a formaldehyde releaser.
Contents
It is used in many cosmetics, skin care products, shampoos and conditioners, as well as a wide range of products including bubble baths, baby wipes and household detergents. Diazolidinyl urea is found in the commercially available preservative Germaben.
Commercial diazolidinyl urea is a mixture of different formaldehyde addition products including polymers.
Synthesis
Diazolidinyl urea is produced by the chemical reaction of allantoin and formaldehyde in the presence of sodium hydroxide solution and heat. The reaction mixture is then neutralized with hydrochloric acid and evaporated:
+ 4 H2C=O →
Structure
Diazolidinyl urea was poorly characterized until recently and the single Chemical Abstracts Service structure assigned to it is probably not the major one in the commercial material. Instead, new data indicate that one of the hydroxymethyl functional groups of the imidazolidine ring is attached to the carbon, rather than on the urea nitrogen atom:
Safety
Some people have a contact allergy to imidazolidinyl urea causing dermatitis. Such people are often also allergic to diazolidinyl urea.
In 2005–06, it was the 14th-most-prevalent allergen in patch tests (3.7%).