Phenylglyoxal, a chemical compound used in chemical biology research, is an intricate word to spell due to its complex structure. The word is pronounced as /ˌfɛnəlɡlaɪˈɒksəl/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The term can be broken down into three parts: phenyl, glyoxal, and an added "a" at the end. Phenyl refers to a benzene ring, glyoxal refers to a compound consisting of two aldehyde groups, and the "a" at the end is an indication of a carboxaldehyde. The spelling of this word requires attention to each part of its composition.
Phenylglyoxal is a chemical compound with the molecular formula C8H6O2. It is an organic compound consisting of a phenyl group attached to a glyoxal moiety. It is derived from the condensation of two molecules of benzaldehyde, which results in the formation of a symmetric alpha-diketone.
Phenylglyoxal is a pale yellow crystalline solid that is sparingly soluble in water but soluble in organic solvents. It possesses a distinct sweet odor. It is primarily used in a laboratory setting as a reagent and intermediate compound in various chemical reactions. Due to its reactive nature, it is commonly employed in the preparation of other organic compounds.
One notable application of phenylglyoxal is in the modification of proteins to study their structure and function. It reacts with amino acids containing cysteine residues, leading to the formation of a covalent adduct between phenylglyoxal and the sulfur atom present in cysteine. This modification allows for the investigation of protein structure and the determination of amino acid sequence.
In conclusion, phenylglyoxal is an organic compound that is synthesized from benzaldehyde and is widely used as a reagent and intermediate in chemical reactions. Its significance lies in its ability to modify proteins, making it valuable for studying protein structure and function.
The word "Phenylglyoxal" has a compound etymology. "Phenyl" comes from the Greek word "phaino", which means "to appear" or "to shine". It refers to a chemical group made up of a benzene ring attached to another compound.
On the other hand, "glyoxal" is derived from the word "glyoxylic acid", which comes from the German "glyoxylsäure". The term "glyoxyl" is formed from a combination of "glyoxaldehyd", meaning "an aldehyde derived from glyoxylic acid", and "al", an aldehyde suffix.
When combined, "Phenylglyoxal" indicates a compound that consists of a phenyl group attached to the glyoxal structure.