Dihydronaphthalene

/ˌdaɪˌhaɪdroʊˈnæfθəlin/ noun

Definition

A hydrocarbon compound created by adding hydrogen atoms to naphthalene, used as a solvent and in manufacturing various chemicals.

Etymology

From 'di-' (two) + 'hydro-' (hydrogen) + 'naphthalene' (an aromatic hydrocarbon from coal tar). This compound became industrially important in the 20th century as chemists developed uses for modified coal tar derivatives.

Kelly Says

Dihydronaphthalene is chemistry's up-cycled treasure—naphthalene from coal tar and mothballs gets hydrogen added to make it useful in paints, solvents, and cosmetics, turning a waste product into valuable goods.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.