catenane

American

[kat-n-eyn] / ˈkæt nˌeɪn /

noun

any of the class of chemical compounds containing two or more rings that are interlocked without being bonded chemically.

catenane British

/ ˈkætɪˌneɪn /

noun

a type of chemical compound in which the molecules have two or more rings that are interlocked like the links of a chain

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of catenane

caten(a) + -ane

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Such a chainlike molecule is known as a catenane and Sauvage's team later developed ways to control the rings' rotation through each other.

From Science Magazine

Dr. Sauvage took a big step toward their development in 1983, when he succeeded in linking two ring-shaped molecules to form a chain, called a catenane.

From New York Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023