CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

saturated fatty acid    →   zasićena masna kiselina

Saturated fatty acid is a fatty acid carrying the maximum possible number of hydrogen atoms (It doesn’t have any double bounds in the alkyl chain). The most important of these are:

unsaturated fatty acid    →   nezasićena masna kiselina

Unsaturated fatty acid is a fatty acid whose carbon chain can absorb additional hydrogen atoms. Their carbon chain has one or more double or triple valence bond per molecule. The most important of these are:

acidic    →   kiseo

Acid is a term used when describing a substance with the properties of an acid.

oxygen    →   kisik

Oxygen was discovered by Joseph Priestley (England) in 1774. The origin of the name comes from the Greek words oxy genes meaning acid and forming (acid former). It is colourless, odourless gas; pale blue liquid. Extremely reactive. Forms oxides with nearly all other elements except noble gases. It is the most abundant element in the earth’s crust and makes up almost 21 % of the atmosphere. Oxygen is obtained primarily from liquid air by fractional distillation. Small amounts are made in the laboratory by electrolysis of water. Used in steel making, welding and supporting life. Naturally occurring ozone (O₃) in the upper atmosphere shields the earth from ultraviolet radiation.

acetal    →   acetal

Acetals are organic compounds having the structure R₂C(OR’)₂ (R’ ≠ H). They are organic compounds formed by addition of alcohol molecules to aldehyde or ketone molecules. Originally, the term was confined to derivatives of aldehydes (one R = H), but it now applies equally to derivatives of ketones (neither R = H ). Mixed acetals have different R’ groups. The formation of acetals is reversible; acetals can be hydrolysed back to aldehydes (ketone) in acidic solutions.

Acetal, 1,1-diethoxyethane (CH₃CH(OC₂H₅)₂), is an organic compound, pleasant smelling, formed by addition of ethyl alcohol to ethanal (acetaldehyde). It is used as a solvent and in synthetic organic chemistry.

acetate    →   acetat

1. Acetate is an ion formed by removing the acidic hydrogen from acetic acid, HC₂H₃O₂.

2. Acetate is a compound derived by replacing the acidic hydrogen in acetic acid.

3. Acetate is a fibre made of cellulose acetate.

alkalinity    →   alkalitet

Alkalinity is a measure of a material’s ability to neutralize acids. It is usually determined using titration.

americium    →   americij

Americium was discovered by Glenn T. Seaborg, Ralph A. James, Stanley G. Thompson and Albert Ghiorso (USA) in 1944. Named for the American continent. It is silvery-white, artificially produced radioactive metal. Americium was produced by bombarding plutonium with neutrons. Americium-241 is currently used in smoke detectors.

amino acids    →   aminokiseline

Amino acids are compounds containing both a carboxylic acid group (-COOH) and an amino group (-NH₂ ). The most important are the α-amino acids, in which the -NH₂ group in attached to the C atom adjacent to the -COOH group. In the β-amino acids, there is an intervening carbon atom.

acylaction reaction    →   reakcije aciliranja

Acylaction reaction involves the introduction of an acyl group (RCO-) into a compound. An alkyl halide is reacted with an alcohol or a carboxylic acid anhydride e.g.

The introduction of an acetyl group (CH₃CO-) is acetylation, a process used for protecting -OH groups in organic synthesis.