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Glite Dictionary
heterocycle

heterocycle

1 9.9
A ring of atoms that has at least two different elements
  • noun
  • /ˈhɛtərəˌsaɪkəl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : heterociclo
  • Researchers are exploring new methods to synthesize aromatic heterocycles to improve drug development processes.

Examples

  • Let's take the heterocycles for a nitride and check out Avogadro's bar.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • With this aspect, this report from the Journal of the American Chemical Society (2008) contributes a new advance in the direct functionalization of pyridine N-oxides, one of the most important heterocycles having significant utility in various research areas.

    Blog text (17)

  • Many pharmaceuticals are based on complex heterocycles that enhance their effectiveness and reduce side effects.

  • The study focused on the stability and reactivity of various nitrogen-containing heterocycles in organic chemistry.

Synonyms

heterocyclic
vsheterocycle
  • Specialized
9.9

A chemical with a ring of atoms that has at least one atom like nitrogen or oxygen

is the general definition without listing specific example elements
heterocyclic compound
vsheterocycle
  • Specialized
8.4

A chemical with a ring of atoms where at least one atom is not carbon

requires the ring to be made of at least two different chemical elements
heterocyclic ring
vsheterocycle
  • Specialized
8.1

A ring of atoms in a molecule with at least one non-carbon atom

describes the whole compound rather than just the ring within it

Surface Forms

heterocycle singular
heterocycles plural

Morphology

heterocycle = cycle (semi-transparent) = hetero + cycle

The combining form 'hetero-' is common in scientific vocabulary but is not a standalone everyday word for many learners, so the overall term may be only partially transparent to B1 learners.

Etymology

The word heterocycle comes from Greek parts hetero- meaning 'different' and cycle meaning 'circle' or 'ring', the same cycle in bicycle. In chemistry a heterocycle is a ring-shaped molecule where at least two of the atoms are different elements, like carbon and nitrogen, so the name means a 'different ring'.