1-Butanol
Butan-1-ol is a primary alcohol that is butane in which a hydrogen of one of the methyl groups is substituted by a hydroxy group. It it produced in small amounts in humans by the g…
Chemical Glossary — Letter B
84 chemicals found starting with "B"
1-Butene
1-Butene (C4H8) is an organic compound that appears as 1-butene is a colorless gas. (NTP, 1992). It has a molecular weight of 56.11 g/mol. Its IUPAC name is but-1-ene. Boiling poin…
1,3-Butadiene
1,3-Butadiene can cause cancer according to an independent committee of scientific and health experts. It can cause developmental toxicity, female reproductive toxicity and male re…
1,4-Butanediol
Butane-1,4-diol is a butanediol that is butane in which one hydrogen of each of the methyl groups is substituted by a hydroxy group. A colourless, water-miscible, viscous liquid at…
2-Butanol
Butan-2-ol is a secondary alcohol that is butane substituted by a hydroxy group at position 2. It derives from a hydride of a butane.
2-Butanone oxime
2-Butanone oxime (C4H9NO) is a solvent that appears as Methyl ethyl ketoxime is a clear colorless liquid with a musty odor. (NTP, 1992). It has a molecular weight of 87.12 g/mol. I…
2-Butoxyethanol
2-butoxyethanol is a primary alcohol that is ethanol in which one of the methyl hydrogens is replaced by a butoxy group. A high-boiling (171C) colourless liquid, it is used as a so…
9-Borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane
9-Borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (C8H15B) is a laboratory reagent that appears as White solid; [Acros Organics MSDS]. It has a molecular weight of 122.02 g/mol.
Background Radiation
Background radiation is the low level of ionising radiation that is always present in the natural environment, arising from natural and artificial sources. It includes cosmic rays …
Band
In solid-state physics and chemistry, a band refers to a range of allowed energy states that electrons can occupy in a solid material, formed by the overlap of many atomic orbitals…
Band of Stability
The band of stability (also called the belt of stability) is the region on a plot of number of neutrons (N) vs. number of protons (Z) where stable nuclei are found. Nuclides outsid…
Band Theory of Metals
The band theory of metals is a quantum mechanical model that explains the electrical conductivity of metals, insulators, and semiconductors. It arises from the overlap of atomic or…
Barium
Barium is a soft, silvery alkaline earth metal, atomic number 56. Highly reactive - reacts with water and air. Barium sulfate (BaSO4) is uniquely insoluble and non-toxic - used as …
Barium chloride
Barium chloride (BaCl2) is a salt that appears as Barium chloride appears as white crystals. A salt arising from the direct reaction of barium and chlorine. Toxic by ingestion. (NT…
Barium hydroxide
Barium hydroxide (Ba(OH)2) is a base or alkali that appears as Water or Solvent Wet Solid; Dry Powder. It has a molecular weight of 171.34 g/mol. Its IUPAC name is barium(2+) dihyd…
Barium oxide
Barium oxide (BaO) is an inorganic compound that appears as Barium oxide appears as a white to yellow powder. May be toxic by ingestion. Irritates skin, eyes and mucous membranes. …
Barium sulfate
Barium sulfate is a metal sulfate with formula BaO4S. Virtually insoluble in water at room temperature, it is mostly used as a component in oil well drilling fluid it occurs natura…
Barometer
A barometer is a scientific instrument used to measure atmospheric (air) pressure. The most common type (Torricelli barometer) consists of a vertical glass tube filled with mercury…
Base
A base is a substance that accepts protons from acids (Brønsted–Lowry definition), donates electron pairs (Lewis definition), or produces hydroxide ions in aqueous solution (Arrhen…
Basic Anhydride
A basic anhydride is a metal oxide that reacts with water to form a base (metal hydroxide) or reacts with an acid to form a salt. They are the anhydrous form of a metallic hydroxid…
Basic Salt
A basic salt is a salt that contains both an anion from an acid and hydroxide (OH⁻) ions, formed by the partial neutralisation of a polyhydroxy base by an acid. The salt can still …
Benzaldehyde
Benzaldehyde is an arenecarbaldehyde that consists of benzene bearing a single formyl substituent; the simplest aromatic aldehyde and parent of the class of benzaldehydes. It has a…
Benzene
Benzene can cause cancer according to California Labor Code. It can cause developmental toxicity and male reproductive toxicity according to an independent committee of scientific …
Benzimidazole
1H-benzimidazole is the 1H-tautomer of benzimidazole. It is a benzimidazole and a polycyclic heteroarene. It is a conjugate acid of a benzimidazolide. It is a tautomer of a 4H-benz…
Benzofuran
1-benzofuran is a benzofuran consisting of fused benzene and furan rings. It is the parent compound of the class of 1-benzofurans. It is a benzofuran and a member of 1-benzofurans.
Benzoic acid
Benzoic acid is a compound comprising a benzene ring core carrying a carboxylic acid substituent. It has a role as an EC 1.13.11.33 (arachidonate 15-lipoxygenase) inhibitor, an EC …
Benzonitrile
Benzonitrile is a nitrile that is hydrogen cyanide in which the hydrogen has been replaced by a phenyl group. It is a nitrile and a member of benzenes.
Benzophenone
Benzophenone is the simplest member of the class of benzophenones, being formaldehyde in which both hydrogens are replaced by phenyl groups. It has a role as a photosensitizing age…
Benzoyl chloride
Benzoyl chloride is an acyl chloride consisting of benzene in which a hydrogen is replaced by an acyl chloride group. It is an important chemical intermediate for the manufacture o…
Benzoyl peroxide
Benzoyl peroxide (C14H10O4) is a laboratory reagent that appears as Benzoyl peroxide appears as odorless white powder or granules. Sinks in water. (USCG, 1999). It has a molecular …
Benzyl alcohol
Benzyl alcohol is an aromatic alcohol that consists of benzene bearing a single hydroxymethyl substituent. It has a role as an antioxidant, a metabolite, a solvent and a fragrance.
Benzyl chloride
Benzyl Chloride can cause cancer according to The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Benzylamine
Benzylamine is a primary amine compound having benzyl as the N-substituent. It has been isolated from Moringa oleifera (horseradish tree). It has a role as an allergen, a plant met…
Berkelium
Berkelium is a synthetic radioactive actinide produced by bombarding americium with alpha particles. It is named after Berkeley, California, where it was first synthesised in 1949.…
Beryllium
Beryllium is a hard, grey, lightweight alkaline earth metal, atomic number 4. Highly toxic - inhalation causes chronic beryllium disease (berylliosis). Found in beryl minerals (eme…
Beta Particle
A beta particle is a high-energy, high-speed electron (β⁻) or positron (β⁺) emitted from the nucleus during beta decay of a radioactive isotope. Beta particles have intermediate pe…
beta-Carotene
Beta-carotene is a cyclic carotene obtained by dimerisation of all-trans-retinol. A strongly-coloured red-orange pigment abundant in plants and fruit and the most active and import…
Binary Acid
A binary acid is an acid composed of only two elements: hydrogen and a nonmetal. Binary acids are named using the prefix "hydro-" followed by the name of the nonmetal with the suff…
Binary Compound
A binary compound is a chemical compound consisting of exactly two different elements, though not necessarily in a 1:1 ratio. Examples include sodium chloride (NaCl), water (H₂O), …
Binding Energy (Nuclear Binding Energy)
Nuclear binding energy is the energy required to completely separate all the protons and neutrons in a nucleus from one another. It represents the mass defect multiplied by c² (Ein…
Biodegradability
Biodegradability is the ability of a substance to be decomposed by bacteria, fungi, or other living organisms into simpler, environmentally benign compounds such as water, carbon d…
Biotin
Biotin is an organic heterobicyclic compound that consists of 2-oxohexahydro-1H-thieno[3,4-d]imidazole having a valeric acid substituent attached to the tetrahydrothiophene ring. T…
Biphenyl
Biphenyl is a benzenoid aromatic compound that consists of two benzene rings connected by a single covalent bond. Biphenyl occurs naturally in coal tar, crude oil, and natural gas.…
Bismuth
Bismuth is a brittle, silvery-pink post-transition metal, atomic number 83. Has the highest natural diamagnetism of any element. Its crystals form beautiful hopper-shaped formation…
Bismuth(III) oxide
Bismuth(III) oxide (Bi2O3) is an inorganic compound that appears as Other Solid; Dry Powder. It has a molecular weight of 465.959 g/mol. Its IUPAC name is oxo(oxobismuthanyloxy)bis…
Boc anhydride
Tert-butoxycarbonyl anhydride is an acyclic carboxylic anhydride. It is functionally related to a dicarbonic acid.
Bohrium
Bohrium is a synthetic radioactive transactinide element named after Niels Bohr. Expected to behave similarly to rhenium. First synthesised in 1981 in Darmstadt, Germany.
Boiling Point
The boiling point of a liquid is the temperature at which its vapour pressure equals the atmospheric pressure, causing the liquid to vaporise throughout its volume. The normal boil…
Boiling Point Elevation
Boiling point elevation is a colligative property: the increase in boiling point of a solvent caused by dissolving a non-volatile solute. The elevation is proportional to the molal…
Bomb Calorimeter
A bomb calorimeter is a constant-volume calorimeter used to measure the heat of combustion of a substance. The sample is placed in a strong steel vessel (the "bomb") filled with ox…
Bond Energy
Bond energy (or bond dissociation energy) is the average energy required to break one mole of a specific type of covalent bond in gaseous molecules. It is a measure of bond strengt…
Bond Order
Bond order is the number of shared electron pairs between two bonded atoms, or more precisely, half the difference between the number of bonding and antibonding electrons in molecu…
Bonding Orbital
A bonding orbital is a molecular orbital formed by the constructive overlap of atomic orbitals, resulting in increased electron density between the nuclei. Electrons in bonding orb…
Bonding Pair
A bonding pair (or shared pair) is a pair of electrons shared between two atoms to form a covalent bond. In Lewis dot structures, each line between atoms represents one bonding pai…
Borane tetrahydrofuran complex
Borane tetrahydrofuran complex (C4H8BO) is a laboratory reagent that appears as Liquid; [Merck Index] 10% Solution in tetrahydrofuran: Colorless liquid with an acrid odor; [Alfa Ae…
Boric acid
Boric acid is a member of boric acids. It has a role as an astringent. It is a conjugate acid of a dihydrogenborate.
Born-Haber Cycle
The Born-Haber cycle is an application of Hess's law used to calculate lattice energies of ionic compounds that cannot be measured directly. It is an energy cycle that relates the …
Borneol
Borneol is a bornane monoterpenoid that is 1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptane substituted by a hydroxy group at position 2. It has a role as a metabolite and a volatile oil compo…
Boron
Boron is a metalloid, atomic number 5. Does not occur as free element - found in borax and boric acid. Forms wide range of covalent compounds. B-10 is an excellent neutron absorber…
Boron Hydrides
Boron hydrides (boranes) are a series of compounds consisting of boron and hydrogen, with the general formula BₓHᵧ. They are unusual because they are electron-deficient: they have …
Boron tribromide
Boron tribromide (BBr3) is an inorganic compound that appears as Boron tribromide appears as a colorless, fuming liquid with a pungent odor. Boiling point 194 °F. Freezing point -5…
Boron trichloride
Boron trichloride (BCl3) is an inorganic compound that appears as Boron trichloride appears as a colorless gas with a pungent odor. Fumes irritate the eyes and mucous membranes. Co…
Boron trifluoride
Boron trifluoride (BF3) is an inorganic compound that appears as Boron trifluoride is a colorless gas with a pungent odor. It is toxic by inhalation. It is soluble in water and slo…
Boyle's Law
Boyle's Law states that at constant temperature, the pressure of a fixed amount of ideal gas is inversely proportional to its volume (P ∝ 1/V, or PV = constant). First published by…
Breeder Reactor
A breeder reactor is a nuclear reactor that generates more fissile material than it consumes by converting fertile material (such as uranium-238 or thorium-232) into fissile isotop…
Brilliant green
Brilliant green is an organic hydrogensulfate salt having 4-{[4-(diethylamino)phenyl](phenyl)methylidene}-N,N-diethylcyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-iminium as the counterion. It has a role a…
Bromine
Bromine is a reddish-brown liquid halogen, atomic number 35. One of only two elements that are liquid at room temperature (the other being mercury). Has a strong, unpleasant suffoc…
Bromoacetic acid
Bromoacetic acid (C2H3BrO2) is an acid that appears as Bromoacetic acid appears as colorless crystals. Melting point 51 °C. Density 1.93 g / cm3. Corrosive to metals and tissue. Po…
Bromobenzene
Bromobenzene is the simplest member of the class of bromobenzenes, that is benzene in which a single hydrogen has been substituted by a bromine. A liquid at room temperature (m.p. …
Bromocresol green
Bromocresol green (C21H14Br4O5S) is a chemical indicator. It has a molecular weight of 698.0 g/mol. Its IUPAC name is 2,6-dibromo-4-[3-(3,5-dibromo-4-hydroxy-2-methylphenyl)-1,1-di…
Bromocresol purple
Bromocresol purple is a member of the class of 2,1-benzoxathioles that is 2,1-benzoxathiole 1,1-dioxide in which both of the hydrogens at position 3 have been substituted by 3-brom…
Bromoform
Bromoform can cause cancer according to The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Bromomethane
Methyl Bromide, as a structural fumigant can cause developmental toxicity according to state or federal government labeling requirements.
Bromophenol blue
Bromophenol blue is 3H-2,1-Benzoxathiole 1,1-dioxide in which both of the hydrogens at position 3 have been substituted by 3,5-dibromo-4-hydroxyphenyl groups. It is used as a labor…
Bromothymol blue
Bromothymol blue is a member of the class of 2,1-benzoxathioles that is 2,1-benzoxathiole 1,1-dioxide in which both of the hydrogens at position 3 have been substituted by 3-bromo-…
Brønsted-Lowry Acid
A Brønsted-Lowry acid is any species capable of donating a proton (H⁺) to another species. This definition, proposed independently by Johannes Brønsted and Thomas Lowry in 1923, ex…
Brønsted-Lowry Base
A Brønsted-Lowry base is any species that accepts a proton (H⁺) from another species. This definition, proposed in 1923, is broader than the Arrhenius definition and includes speci…
Buffer Solution
A buffer solution is an aqueous solution that resists changes in pH upon addition of small amounts of acid or base. It consists of a weak acid and its conjugate base (or a weak bas…
Buret
A buret (or burette) is a graduated glass tube with a stopcock at the bottom, used in titrations to deliver a precise, variable volume of liquid solution. Burets are commonly calib…
Butane
Butane is a straight chain alkane composed of 4 carbon atoms. It has a role as a food propellant and a refrigerant. It is a gas molecular entity and an alkane.
Butyl acetate
Butyl acetate is the acetate ester of butanol. It has a role as a metabolite. It is functionally related to a butan-1-ol.
Butyraldehyde
Butanal is a member of the class of butanals that consists of propane bearing a formyl substituent at the 1-position. The parent of the class of butanals. It has a role as a biomar…
Butyric acid
Butyric acid is a straight-chain saturated fatty acid that is butane in which one of the terminal methyl groups has been oxidised to a carboxy group. It has a role as a Mycoplasma …
Butyric anhydride
Butyric anhydride (C8H14O3) is an organic compound that appears as Butyric anhydride is a water-white liquid with an odor of rancid butter. Corrosive to metals and tissue. Low toxi…
About Chemicals Starting With B
This page lists all chemicals in our database beginning with the letter B. Each entry provides the chemical formula, CAS registry number, physical and chemical properties, common uses, and safety information. Use the alphabetical navigation above to browse other letters, or use the search function to find a specific chemical quickly.
Our chemical glossary covers acids, bases, salts, organic compounds, inorganic compounds, solvents, and many more categories. Click on any chemical name to view its full detailed profile.