cyclopropane

[ sahy-kluh-proh-peyn, sik-luh- ]

noun

, Chemistry, Pharmacology.

1. a colorless, flammable gas, C 3 H 6 , used in organic synthesis and in medicine as an anesthetic.

cyclopropane

/ ˌsɪk-; ˌsaɪkləʊˈprəʊpeɪn /

noun

1. a colourless flammable gaseous hydrocarbon, used in medicine as an anaesthetic; trimethylene. It is a cycloalkane with molecules containing rings of three carbon atoms. Formula: C 3 H 6 ; boiling pt: –34°C

cyclopropane

/ sī′klə-prō′pān′,sĭk′lə- /

1. A highly flammable, explosive, colorless gas that was once in wide use as an anesthetic but has been mostly replaced by less flammable gases. The three carbon atoms of cyclopropane form a triangular ring. Chemical formula: C 3 H 6 .

Word History and Origins

Origin of cyclopropane¹

First recorded in 1890–95; cyclo- + propane