thiophene

[ thahy-uh-feen ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a water-insoluble, colorless liquid, C 4 H 4 S, resembling benzene, occurring in crude coal-tar benzene: used chiefly as a solvent and in organic synthesis.

thiophene

/ thī′ə-fēn′ /

1. A colorless liquid used as a solvent. The chemical properties of thiophene resemble those of benzene, which occurs with it in coal tar. Thiophene has a ring of four carbon atoms and one sulfur atom, and among its derivatives are biotin, various plant pigments, and some pharmaceuticals. Chemical formula: C 4 H 4 S.

Word History and Origins

Origin of thiophene¹

First recorded in 1880–85; thio- + -phene, word-final variant of phen-

Example Sentences

Unlike other types of lipid nanoparticles that tend to accumulate in the liver, the ones in this study, based on the compound thiophene, are able to navigate their way to the tissues of the lungs and retina, where they deliver their therapeutic payload.

From Science Daily

Renato Aguilera, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, is the principal investigator on the project that identified the promising compound, called thiophene F-8.

From Science Daily

Thiophene F-8 was very successful at inducing programmed cell death in the leukemia and lymphoma cells, essentially sending a message to the cells causing them to kill themselves and inhibiting the growth of new cancer cells.

From Science Daily

Mia Swain, Ph.D., helped discover and conduct research on thiophene F-8 as a doctoral student at UTEP.

From Science Daily

Westall spotted a sulphur-containing molecule, thiophene, in her sample, and was able to quantify the total amount of sulphur present--up to 1%.

From Scientific American