Heteroatom

Heteroatom is a word that means "different atom". In organic chemistry, it means any chemical element in a molecule except for carbon and hydrogen. Oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and chlorine are the most common heteroatoms.

The word is less commonly used in other branches of chemistry. In inorganic chemistry, it can be used to mean any atom that is not a major part of a compound's structure. Examples include central atoms in heteropolymetalates and non-silicon atoms in zeolites.

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Category:Chemistry