Cyclopentene

/ˌsaɪ.kloʊˈpɛn.tiːn/ noun

Definition

A colorless liquid made of five carbon atoms arranged in a ring with exactly one double bond between carbons.

Etymology

From 'cyclo-' (circle) + 'penta-' (five) + 'ene' (one double bond), literally describing the structure of the molecule. Named during the 19th century as organic chemistry developed.

Kelly Says

Cyclopentene sits between cyclopentane and cyclopentadiene in terms of how reactive it is—it's the Goldilocks molecule for many chemical reactions because it's reactive enough to be useful but stable enough to work with safely.

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