Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An aromatic hydrocarbon unit, C6H5, that can occur as a substituent in an organic compound or as an ion or radical, structurally related to benzene.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun An organic radical (C6H5; in the free state, C12H10) found in phenol (or carbolic acid), benzol, and aniline.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Chem.) A hydrocarbon radical (C6H5) regarded as the essential residue of benzene, and the basis of an immense number of aromatic derivatives.
  • noun (Chem.) phenol or carbolic acid.
  • noun (Chem.) a nitrogenous base (C6H5.N2H3) produced artificially as a colorless oil which unites with acids, ketones, etc., to form well-crystallized compounds.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun organic chemistry A univalent hydrocarbon radical (C6H5) formally derived from benzene by the removal of a hydrogen atom, and the basis of an immense number of aromatic derivatives.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From φαίνω, shining.

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Examples

  • Phenylalanine (a molecule of alanine to which an atom combination called the phenyl group is added),

    The Human Brain Asimov, Isaac 1963

  • It would be another quarter of a century before scientists finally identified Carol’s condition she was suffering from phenylketonuria, or PKU, brain degeneration caused by inability in the newborn child to process a chemical called phenyl, a deficiency that can be treated only if detected in its early stages.

    PEARL BUCK IN CHINA Hilary Spurling 2010

  • It would be another quarter of a century before scientists finally identified Carol’s condition she was suffering from phenylketonuria, or PKU, brain degeneration caused by inability in the newborn child to process a chemical called phenyl, a deficiency that can be treated only if detected in its early stages.

    PEARL BUCK IN CHINA Hilary Spurling 2010

  • It is often listed as mercuric oxide, phenyl mercuric acetate, benzoate, bromine, chloride or borate.

    Deirdre Imus: Kiss My "Green" Lips 2009

  • "Well I just came from the deconstructive unconference cumfy cushion session on Silicone the New, Better Silicon, or Regional Imposter, and they confirmed any class of chemical compounds consisting of long chains of alternating silicon and oxygen atoms, with two organic radicals, typically a methyl (CH3) and a phenyl (C6H5) group, attached to each silicon atom is a totally better, more collaborative API."

    Melbourne's Silicone Beach. Ben Barren 2007

  • Both are based on a phenyl ring, but meth has a Methyl group, hence the name “METH”

    “Twilight” Heroin Drug Baggies 2009

  • Phenol has the functional hydroxyl group that is then conjugated by a Phase II reaction (sulphation) to phenyl sulfate.

    Biotransformation 2008

  • Or we could use all those phenyl rings in the lignin in lignocellulosic biomass to make hydrocarbons: or dehydrate sugars to furfurals using ionic liquids.

    Rabett Run EliRabett 2008

  • Phentermine, a contraction for "phenyl-tertiary-butylamine", is an appetite suppressant of the amphetamine and phenethylamine class.

    NiteLife 2008

  • Formalternate is a combination of propylene glycol, ethylene glycol phenyl ether and phenol.

    Alternatives for significant uses of formaldehyde in Massachusetts 2008

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