sulfonic
1
7.3
- adjective
- /sʌlˈfɒnɪk/
- Specialized
- This sulfonic acid is known for its excellent surface-active properties in detergents.
Examples
-
In her research, she focused on the properties of sulfonic acids in various reactions.
-
The chemist synthesized a new sulfonic compound to improve the drug's efficacy.
-
And then the sulfon sulfonic sulfonate group probably helps with solvability.
Compounds
Surface Forms
Morphology
sulfonic = sulfon + ic
The suffix '-ic' is a regular adjective-forming morpheme meaning 'relating to', but the root 'sulfon' is a technical combining form (not a common standalone word), so the meaning is partially transparent mainly to learners with chemistry knowledge.
Etymology
Sulfonic comes from the root sulfo- meaning 'from sulfur' and the ending -ic meaning 'related to'. Sulfur is a yellow element that often smells like rotten eggs, so sulfonic describes a substance that contains the special sulfur group –SO3H, which is why the word means 'relating to or containing sulfonic acid'.