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⚗️ A lab chemical 🧴 A UV blocker 🖋️ A photoinitiator
benzophenone

benzophenone

1 9.0
A white solid used by chemists as a solvent and to make other chemicals
  • noun
  • /ˌbɛnzoʊˈfɛnˌoʊn/
  • Specialized
: benzofenona
  • Exposure to sunlight can cause benzophenone to degrade in certain plastics.

Examples

  • The chemist carefully measured the benzophenone before adding it to the reaction mixture.

  • The laboratory ordered more benzophenone for their polymer research project.

  • The laboratory synthesized benzophenone yesterday.

  • Can you explain how benzophenone is used in organic synthesis?

  • In the laboratory, the chemist used benzophenone as a solvent for the plastic sample.

  • To create a new resin, the technician added benzophenone to the mixture during the synthesis process.

  • The formulation of that sunscreen includes benzophenone to help protect the skin from harmful UV rays.

Surface Forms

benzophenone singular
benzophenones plural

Morphology

benzophenone = phenone (opaque) = benzo + phen + one

Formed from specialized chemical combining forms ('benzo-' + 'phen-' + '-one'); this nomenclature is domain-specific and not guessable by average B1 learners.

Etymology

Benzophenone comes from benzo- (from benzene, a ring of carbon) and -one (like in acetone, a 'ketone'). The name tells chemists it is a benzene‑ketone compound, and that structure makes it a stable white chemical that dissolves some plastics and helps make other chemicals, so benzophenone is used in synthesis and as a solvent.