[6] The current industrial route to CYA entails the thermal decomposition of urea, with release of ammonia.

[7][8] Intermediates in the dehydration include both isocyanic acid, biuret, and triuret: As temperature exceeds 190 °C, other reactions begin to dominate the process.

It binds to free chlorine and releases it slowly, extending the time needed to deplete each dose of sanitizer.

[10] Because of its trifunctionality, CYA is a precursor to crosslinking agents, especially for polyurethane resins and polyisocyanurate thermoset plastics.

The experimental antineoplastic drug teroxirone (triglycidyl isocyanurate) is formed by reacting cyanuric acid with 3 equivalents of epichlorohydrin.

[13] FDA permits a certain amount of cyanuric acid to be present in some non-protein nitrogen (NPN) additives used in animal feed and drinking water.

For example, Archer Daniels Midland manufactures an NPN supplement for cattle, which contains biuret, triuret, cyanuric acid and urea.

Research has found evidence that cyanuric acid, a constituent of urine, together with melamine forms poorly soluble crystals which can cause kidney failure (see Analysis section above).

[16] However, when cyanuric acid is present together with melamine (which by itself is another low-toxicity substance), it will form an insoluble and rather nephrotoxic complex,[17] as evidenced in dogs and cats during the 2007 pet food contamination and in children during the 2008 Chinese milk scandal cases.

An impure copper salt of the acid, with the formula Cu(C3N3O3H2)2(NH3)2, is currently the only known isocyanurate mineral, called joanneumite.