National Academies Press: OpenBook

Catalytic Process Technology (2000)

Chapter: Glossary

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Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Research Council. 2000. Catalytic Process Technology. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10038.
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Glossary

alkane activation

the selective functionalization of the carbonhydrogen bond in paraffins to make either a useful hydrocarbon product or an organometallic intermediate

alkylation technology

catalytic processes for reacting paraffins with olefins to produce higher molecular-weight paraffins

asymmetric and chiral synthesis

the synthesis of molecules with one or more asymmetric (synonymous with chiral) centers

alternative resource

a noncrude-oil-based resource

atom economy

getting higher yields without having to use protecting groups, as well as producing stoichiometric by-products, especially salts (which must usually be disposed of)

biomimetic catalyst

a synthetic catalytic system that uses biological systems as a model to simulate or reproduce the action or active site of an enzyme (e.g., porphyrins with a macrocycle possessing ternary structure)

cofactor regeneration

some enzyme reactions require a cofactor, such as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), to catalyze a reaction, yielding a reduced cofactor (NADH); the oxidized form of the cofactor may be regenerated by using the reduced cofactor in an NADH-dependent enzyme reaction

Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Research Council. 2000. Catalytic Process Technology. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10038.
×

enantiomeric entity

an optically active isomer

enzyme stability

a measure of enzyme resistance to various environmental parameters, both physical and chemical

enzyme activity

acceleration of reactions by decreasing the free energy of activation

fine chemical

a high-value, low-volume chemical (e.g., a pharmaceutical)

ligand

1. In inorganic chemistry, a molecule or ion that binds to a metal cation to form a complex. 2. In biochemistry, a molecule that binds to a receptor, having a biological effect.

macromolecular architecture

the three-dimensional topology and structure of large molecules, such as enzymes or polymers

olefin polymerization

the combination of olefins to produce high molecular-weight polymers

racemate

a one-to-one mixture of enantiomeric molecules; it has a zero optical rotation

regiospecificity

specificity for a particular region of a molecule

renewable resource

a carbon resource available from biological or agricultural sources

selective oxidation

the oxidation of hydrocarbons to produce oxygenates with minimal side reactions and minimal carbon dioxide formation

stereochemistry

a description of the three-dimensional spatial relationships between atoms in a molecule

stereoisomer

two or more molecules with identical molecular formulas but different spatial orientations

Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Research Council. 2000. Catalytic Process Technology. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10038.
×

stereospecificity

specificity for a particular stereoisomer

stereoselectivity

preference for a particular stereoisomer, commonly applied to molecular binding, reaction kinetics, etc.

substrate specificity

preference for a particular reactant, applied to an enzyme’s preference to react with a particular compound(s)

synthetic versatility

a synthesis technique generally employing a reagent or catalyst that causes a reaction and has broad applicability

thermoplastic elastomer

an elastic polymer that softens or melts on heating and becomes rigid again on cooling

Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Research Council. 2000. Catalytic Process Technology. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10038.
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Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Research Council. 2000. Catalytic Process Technology. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10038.
×
Page 51
Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Research Council. 2000. Catalytic Process Technology. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10038.
×
Page 52
Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Research Council. 2000. Catalytic Process Technology. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10038.
×
Page 53
Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Research Council. 2000. Catalytic Process Technology. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10038.
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Page 54
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