organic chemistry Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the science, scientific study of the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds and organic matter, organic materials, i.e., matter in its various forms that contain ...

, a guanamine is an

organic compound Some chemical authorities define an organic compound as a chemical compound that contains a carbon–hydrogen or carbon–carbon bond; others consider an organic compound to be any chemical compound that contains carbon. For example, carbon-co ...

with the formula (H₂NC)₂N₃CR. They are

heterocycle A heterocyclic compound or ring structure is a cyclic compound that has atoms of at least two different elements as members of its ring(s). Heterocyclic organic chemistry is the branch of organic chemistry dealing with the synthesis, proper ...

s of the triazine class. Guanamines are closely related to

melamine Melamine is an organic compound with the formula C3H6N6. This white solid is a trimer (chemistry), trimer of cyanamide, with a 1,3,5-Triazine, 1,3,5-triazine skeleton. Like cyanamide, it contains 66% nitrogen by mass, and its derivatives ha ...

((H₂NC)₃N₃), except with one amino substituent replaced by an organic group. With two amines, guanamines are bifunctional, whereas melamine is trifunctional. This difference is exploited in the use of guanamines to modify the crosslink density in

melamine resin Melamine resin or melamine formaldehyde (also shortened to melamine) is a resin with melamine rings terminated with multiple hydroxyl groups derived from formaldehyde. This thermosetting plastic material is made from melamine and formaldehyde. ...

s. They are white or colorless solids of low toxicity. Some popular guanamines are the phenyl, methyl and nonyl derivatives, called

benzoguanamine Benzoguanamine is an organic Chemical compound, compound with the chemical formula (CNH2)2(CC6H5)N3. It is related to melamine but with one amino group replaced by phenyl. Benzoguanamine is used in the manufacturing of melamine resins. Unlike mela ...

, acetoguanamine, and capriguanamine. They are all prepared by the condensation of cyanoguanidine with the corresponding

nitrile In organic chemistry, a nitrile is any organic compound that has a functional group. The name of the compound is composed of a base, which includes the carbon of the , suffixed with "nitrile", so for example is called " propionitrile" (or pr ...

: :(H₂N)₂C=NCN + RCN → (CNH₂)₂(CR)N₃

References

{{Reflist Triazines Amines Nitrogen heterocycles