Chloroethene

/ˌklɔːroʊˈɛθiːn/ noun

Definition

The chemical compound commonly known as vinyl chloride, consisting of a two-carbon molecule with one chlorine atom, used to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic.

Etymology

From chloro- + ethene (a two-carbon unsaturated hydrocarbon). Systematic IUPAC name for vinyl chloride (C₂H₃Cl).

Kelly Says

Chloroethene is the building block of PVC plastic—polymerized from millions of chloroethene molecules linked together—but the scary secret is that the monomer itself is a known human carcinogen, making PVC manufacturing a chemical safety challenge!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.