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to mesylate

to mesylate

9.9
To add a small chemical group to a molecule so it reacts more easily
  • verb
  • /ˈmɛsɪˌleɪt/
  • Specialized
: mesilar
  • The chemist decided to mesylate the alcohol to improve its leaving group for substitution.

Examples

  • Before the next reaction step, you should mesylate the compound to increase its reactivity.

  • They mesylated the intermediate to facilitate the nucleophilic substitution process.

  • The chemist will mesylate the alcohol to improve its reactivity.

  • They mesylated the compound for further analysis.

  • The chemist decided to mesylate the alcohol to improve its leaving group for substitution.

  • Before the next reaction step, you should mesylate the compound to increase its reactivity.

  • They mesylated the intermediate to facilitate the nucleophilic substitution process.

Surface Forms

mesylate infinitive
mesylated past
mesylated past participle
mesylating present participle
mesylates third person singular

Morphology

mesylate = mesylate (semi-transparent) = mesyl + ate

The verb is a regular conversion of the chemical noun 'mesylate', but the construction is technical and likely unfamiliar to general learners.

Etymology

Mesylate as a verb means to add a mesyl group, which comes from methanesulfonyl, and so turn a compound into a mesylate. That's why chemists mesylate alcohols to make them easier to change in the next reaction.