X-Ray
High-energy electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths between 0.01 and 10 nanometers. X-rays are produced when high-speed electrons strike a metal target. They penetrate matter an…
Chemical Glossary — Letter X
21 chemicals found starting with "X"
X-Ray Crystallography
A technique for determining the atomic structure of crystalline materials by analyzing X-ray diffraction patterns. When X-rays interact with the crystal lattice, they diffract at s…
X-Ray Diffraction
The scattering of X-rays by the regular array of atoms in a crystal, producing a characteristic diffraction pattern. Bragg's law (nλ = 2d sinθ) relates the wavelength, interplanar …
X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy
X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), also known as ESCA (Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis), is a surface-sensitive analytical technique that measures the elemental co…
Xanthate
A salt or ester of xanthic acid (dithiocarbonic acid), with the general formula ROCS₂⁻. Xanthates are used in the froth flotation process to extract sulfide ores, as they selective…
Xanthene Dye
Xanthene dyes are a class of synthetic organic dyes based on the xanthene ring system (dibenzo[b,d]pyran), which contains an oxygen-bridged tricyclic aromatic structure. They inclu…
Xenon
A noble gas with atomic number 54 and symbol Xe. Despite being a noble gas, xenon forms chemical compounds including xenon difluoride (XeF₂) and xenon tetrafluoride (XeF₄). Used in…
Xenon
Xenon is a rare, heavy, colourless noble gas. Despite its reputation as completely inert, xenon forms compounds with fluorine and oxygen. It is obtained commercially from liquid ai…
Xenon Hexafluoride
Xenon hexafluoride (XeF₆) is a noble gas compound formed by the direct reaction of xenon with excess fluorine at elevated temperatures and pressures, and is the most reactive and h…
Xenon Tetrafluoride
Xenon tetrafluoride (XeF₄) is a noble gas compound formed by heating a 1:5 mixture of xenon and fluorine at 400°C under pressure, representing one of the first noble gas compounds …
Xenon Trioxide
Xenon trioxide (XeO₃) is a highly explosive, unstable noble gas oxide in which xenon has an oxidation state of +6, with a pyramidal molecular geometry due to a lone pair on xenon. …
Xerography
A dry photocopying technique based on the electrostatic attraction of charged toner particles to a photoconductor surface that has been selectively discharged by light. The toner i…
Xylan
Xylan is a polysaccharide that forms a major component of plant hemicellulose, consisting of a backbone of β-(1→4)-linked D-xylopyranose residues with various side chain substituen…
Xylene
Any of three isomers of dimethylbenzene (ortho, meta, and para-xylene), with molecular formula C₈H₁₀ or (CH₃)₂C₆H₄. Xylenes are aromatic hydrocarbons used as industrial solvents an…
Xylene
Xylene (dimethylbenzene) refers to any of three isomeric aromatic hydrocarbons with formula C₈H₁₀ — ortho-xylene (1,2-dimethylbenzene), meta-xylene (1,3-dimethylbenzene), and para-…
Xylene Cyanol
A blue dye used as a tracking dye in gel electrophoresis. It migrates through agarose gels at approximately the same rate as DNA fragments of 4-5 kilobases. Often used with bromoph…
Xylic Acid
Xylic acids are a group of six isomeric aromatic acids derived from xylene (dimethylbenzene) by oxidation of one methyl group to a carboxyl group (COOH), with the resulting compoun…
Xylidine
Any of six isomeric compounds with the formula (CH₃)₂C₆H₃NH₂, derived from xylenol by replacing a hydroxyl group with an amino group. Xylidines are used as intermediates in the pro…
Xylidine
Xylidine refers to any of six isomeric dimethylanilines (aminodimethylbenzenes) with the formula (CH₃)₂C₆H₃NH₂. They are aromatic amines derived from the three xylene isomers by re…
Xylose
A pentose sugar (five-carbon monosaccharide) with the formula C₅H₁₀O₅, found in wood and other plant materials (xylan). It is used as a low-calorie sweetener for diabetics and in t…
Xylose
A wood sugar, an aldopentose monosaccharide, obtained by hydrolysis of xylan (a polysaccharide found in plant cell walls). Xylose is a building block of hemicellulose in wood and s…
About Chemicals Starting With X
This page lists all chemicals in our database beginning with the letter X. 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.