Carbamoyl phosphate is a chemical compound that plays a crucial role in the metabolism of nitrogen in living organisms. It is formed from ammonia and bicarbonate in a reaction catalyzed by the enzyme carbamoyl phosphate synthetase. This compound is essential for the synthesis of urea in the urea cycle, which helps remove excess nitrogen from the body. In addition to its role in the urea cycle, carbamoyl phosphate is also involved in the synthesis of pyrimidines, which are important building blocks for DNA and RNA. The compound serves as a substrate for the enzyme aspartate transcarbamoylase, linking nitrogen metabolism to nucleic acid synthesis.