Organic Chemistry Terms Starting with R
Definitions of 31 organic chemistry terms that start with R, such as R, Racemic Mixture, Radical. Plain-language explanations linked to reactions and…
Terms starting with R
- R: In stereochemistry, one absolute configuration: rectus.
- Racemic Mixture: 50:50 mixture of two enantiomers, giving zero net optical rotation.
- Radical: Species containing an unpaired electron.
- Radical Anion: Species with both a negative charge and an unpaired electron.
- Radical Inhibitor: Substance that slows/stops radical chain reactions.
- Radical Initiator: Substance that generates radicals to begin a chain reaction.
- Random Copolymer: Copolymer where different monomers occur in a largely random sequence.
- Rate Equation: Mathematical relationship between reaction rate and concentrations.
- Rate-Determining Step: Step that most strongly controls the overall reaction rate.
- Reaction Mechanism: Step-by-step explanation of how a reaction happens.
- Rearrangement: Atoms/groups move within a molecule to create a different connectivity.
- Reducing Agent: Substance that reduces another species and is itself oxidized.
- Reducing Sugar: Sugar capable of acting as a reducing agent under appropriate conditions.
- Reduction: In organic chemistry: commonly more C–H / fewer C–O bonds or a decrease in carbon oxidation state.
- Reductive Amination: Converts a carbonyl compound into an amine through imine/iminium formation followed by reduction.
- Regiochemistry: Describes where a reaction happens in a molecule.
- Regioselective: Reaction strongly favors one constitutional orientation/product over another.
- Replacement Test: Stereochemistry test where identical groups are hypothetically replaced to determine their relationship.
- Resolution: Separation of a racemic mixture into its individual enantiomers.
- Resolving Agents: Chiral substances used to help separate enantiomers.
- Resonance: Multiple Lewis structures describe electron delocalization in the same molecule.
- Resonance Hybrid: The real electron distribution represented collectively by resonance structures.
- Resonance Stabilization: Extra stability caused by electron delocalization.
- Resonance Structures: Alternative Lewis drawings differing only in electron placement, not atom positions.
- Retention of Configuration: Stereochemical arrangement remains the same through a transformation.
- Retention Time: Time a compound takes to pass through a chromatography system.
- Retro Diels–Alder Reaction: Reverse of Diels–Alder: a ring breaks into a diene and dienophile-like fragments.
- Retro-Aldol Reaction: Reverse aldol reaction that breaks a C–C bond in an aldol-type product.
- Retrosynthetic Analysis: Planning synthesis backward from the target molecule.
- Ring Flip: Cyclohexane chair changes to another chair, swapping axial and equatorial positions.
- Robinson Annulation: Michael addition followed by aldol chemistry to build a six-membered ring.
Open a term starting with R
- R
- Racemic Mixture
- Radical
- Radical Anion
- Radical Inhibitor
- Radical Initiator
- Random Copolymer
- Rate Equation
- Rate-Determining Step
- Reaction Mechanism
- Rearrangement
- Reducing Agent
- Reducing Sugar
- Reduction
- Reductive Amination
- Regiochemistry
- Regioselective
- Replacement Test
- Resolution
- Resolving Agents
- Resonance
- Resonance Hybrid
- Resonance Stabilization
- Resonance Structures
- Retention of Configuration
- Retention Time
- Retro Diels–Alder Reaction
- Retro-Aldol Reaction
- Retrosynthetic Analysis
- Ring Flip
- Robinson Annulation