side chain
noun
: a shorter chain or group of atoms attached to a principal chain or to a ring in a molecule
Examples of side chain in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Since the first macrolides were developed, efforts have been made to improve them by replacing their side chains with structures resembling fluoroquinolones.
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New Atlas, 24 July 2024
This power is owed in part to its unique structure; the unusually long alkyl side chains of seven carbon atoms give an edge over conventional THC's five-carbon makeup.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 24 Feb. 2023
The alkyl side chain is the driving force behind a cannabinoid's effects on humans.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN, 3 Feb. 2020
At that resolution, the researchers could make out the side chains of the virus’s proteins, which had been difficult to see in earlier images by other groups.
—Jaclyn Jeffrey-Wilensky, STAT, 26 June 2018
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New Atlas, 24 July 2024
This power is owed in part to its unique structure; the unusually long alkyl side chains of seven carbon atoms give an edge over conventional THC's five-carbon makeup.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 24 Feb. 2023
The alkyl side chain is the driving force behind a cannabinoid's effects on humans.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN, 3 Feb. 2020
At that resolution, the researchers could make out the side chains of the virus’s proteins, which had been difficult to see in earlier images by other groups.
—Jaclyn Jeffrey-Wilensky, STAT, 26 June 2018
Cite this Entry
“Side chain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/side%20chain. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.
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