What is "urethanase"

n. (context enzyme English) A hydrolase enzyme that catalyzes the reaction of urethane and water into ethanol, carbon dioxide, and ammonia.

In enzymology, an urethanase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

urethane + HO $\rightleftharpoons$ ethanol + CO + NH

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are urethane and HO, whereas its 3 products are ethanol, CO, and NH.

This enzyme belongs to the family of hydrolases, those acting on carbon-nitrogen bonds other than peptide bonds, specifically in linear amides. The systematic name of this enzyme class is urethane amidohydrolase (decarboxylating). This enzyme is also called urethane hydrolase.