Fluorene

/ˈfluːəriːn/ noun

Definition

An organic compound consisting of three fused benzene rings, used as a chemical building block and in dyes.

Etymology

From fluor- (fluorescent) + -ene (aromatic compound). Named for its fluorescent properties when substituted with certain groups.

Kelly Says

Fluorene might sound fluorine-related, but it's actually named for its brightness, and scientists use it as a scaffold to build complex molecules for everything from medications to electronics!

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