Question

Urotropine is formed by the action of ammonia on:
A.Acetaldehyde
B.Formaldehyde
C.Acetone
D.phenol

Answer 1

Ammonia, is a colorless gas with a distinct odor composed of nitrogen and hydrogen atoms. It is produced naturally in the human body and in nature—in water, soil and air, even in tiny bacteria molecules. In human health, ammonia and the ammonium ion are vital components of metabolic processes.
Hexamethylenetetramine also known as hexamine or urotropin, is a heterocyclic organic compound. This white crystalline compound is highly soluble in water and polar organic solvents. It has a cage-like structure. It is useful in the synthesis of other organic compounds, including plastics, pharmaceuticals, and rubber additives.

Complete step by Step Solution:
When formaldehyde reacts with ammonia, a well known urinary antiseptic urotropine (also called hexamethylenetetramine) is obtained.
$6HCHO + 4N{H_3} \to {\left( {C{H_2}} \right)_6}{N_4} + 4{H_2}O$
Hence Urotropine is formed by the action of Ammonia on Formaldehyde.
It is also called Methenamine or Hexamethylenetetramine or Urotropin. It acts as an anti-infective agent which is most commonly used to treat urinary tract infections. Its anti-infective action is derived from the slow release of formaldehyde by hydrolysis at acidic pH of 0.2 molars

Hence, Option B is the correct answer.

Note: The dominant use of hexamethylenetetramine is in the production of powdery or liquid preparations of phenolic resins and phenolic resin moulding compounds, where it is added as a hardening component. These products are used as binders, e.g. in brake and clutch linings, abrasive products, non-woven textiles, formed parts produced by moulding processes, and fireproof materials.It has been proposed that hexamethylenetetramine could work as a molecular building block for self-assembled molecular crystals.