heterocyclic compound
- noun
- /ˌhɛtərəˈsaɪklɪk ˈkɒmpaʊnd/
- Specialized
:
compuesto heterocíclico
- Pyridine is a common example of a heterocyclic compound used in organic synthesis.
Examples
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Many pharmaceuticals are based on heterocyclic compounds because of their unique chemical properties.
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Scientists synthesized a new heterocyclic compound as part of cancer research.
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A heterocyclic compound is often used in pharmaceutical research.
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Many heterocyclic compounds exhibit interesting biological activity.
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Pyridine is a common example of a heterocyclic compound used in organic synthesis.
-
Many pharmaceuticals are based on heterocyclic compounds because of their unique chemical properties.
-
Scientists synthesized a new heterocyclic compound as part of cancer research.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A ring of atoms that has at least two different elements
A chemical with a ring of atoms that has at least one atom like nitrogen or oxygen
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'heterocyclic' specifies the kind of 'compound' (a compound having a heterocyclic ring), so a learner who knows both constituents can derive the MWE meaning. Although the term is technical, the modifier + noun structure follows regular compositional patterns and similar nomenclature exists across languages, making it transparent to someone who already knows the constituent words.
Etymology
Heterocyclic compound gets its name from the parts hetero meaning 'different' and cyclic meaning 'ring'. It pictures a chemical ring where at least one atom is different from carbon, so the name tells you it is a compound with a non-carbon atom in the ring.