Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
azo radical

azo radical

9.9
A chemical group with two nitrogen atoms that links two carbon chains and gives bright colours to dyes
  • noun
  • /ˈeɪzoʊ ˈrædɪkəl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : radical azo
  • The azo radical plays a crucial role in the synthesis of many dyes.

Examples

  • Introduction of an azo radical can create vivid colors in textile fibers.

  • Many dyes contain an azo radical structure.

  • Organic chemists often study the stability of the azo radical.

  • The azo radical is essential in dye chemistry.

  • The azo radical is essential in the synthesis of bright and vibrant dyes used in textile manufacturing.

  • Chemists discovered that an azo radical can significantly enhance the color intensity of organic compounds.

  • In organic chemistry, the presence of an azo radical often indicates the potential for creating colorful substances.

Synonyms

azo group
vsazo radical
  • Specialized
8.0

A chemical part with two nitrogen atoms linked by a double bond and joined to two carbon chains

has the same meaning but emphasizes bivalent nature and organic occurrence

Surface Forms

azo radical singular
azo radicals plural

Morphology

azo + radical

The term combines 'azo' (pertaining to an azo group) with 'radical' (a chemical group/species), so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it denotes a chemical species/group containing an azo (-N=N-) moiety. It is domain-specific but compositionally predictable from its parts, so the overall meaning is recoverable without idiomatic knowledge.

Etymology

Azo radical comes from the idea that azo is two linked nitrogen atoms and radical is a small group that joins two chains. This 'bridge' image helps you remember that azo radicals often change how a molecule shows color, so they are used to make bright dyes.