Cyclopropane

Definition

Cyclopropane is an organic compound with three carbon atoms arranged in a ring structure. It is highly flammable and used as a fuel gas or as an intermediate in organic synthesis.

Related terms

Alkane: A family of hydrocarbons consisting exclusively of single-bonded carbon and hydrogen atoms.

Ring strain: The destabilizing energy associated with cyclic structures due to bond angles being forced away from their ideal values.

Isomerization: The process by which one molecule is transformed into another molecule with the same molecular formula but different structural arrangement.