Scientists utilise breath and sweat to detect trapped humans

Molecules in their breath, sweat and skin have been used to detect humans in a simulation of a collapsed building, raising the prospect of portable sensors for use in real-life situations, such as the devastating aftermath ...

Missing link of cloud formation

The discovery of an unknown hitherto chemical compound in the atmosphere may help to explain how and when clouds are formed. The discovery of the so called dihydroxyepoxides (an aerosol-precursor), is reported in this week's ...

How the detergent of the atmosphere is regenerated

It sounds unlikely: a washing machine recycles used detergent in order to use it again for the next load of dirty washing. But this is just what happens during the degradation of pollutants in the atmosphere. German scientists ...

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Isoprene

Isoprene (short for isoterpene), or 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene, is a common organic compound with the formula CH2=C(CH3)CH=CH2. Under standard conditions it is a colorless liquid. However, this compound is highly volatile because of its low boiling point.

Isoprene (C5H8) is the monomer of natural rubber and also a common structure motif to an immense variety of other naturally occurring compounds, collectively termed the isoprenoids. Molecular formula of isoprenoids are multiples of isoprene in the form of (C5H8)n, and this is termed the isoprene rule. The functional isoprene units in biological systems are dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMADP) and its isomer isopentenyl diphosphate (IDP).

The singular terms “isoprene” and “terpene” are synonymous whereas the plurals “isoprenes” or “terpenes” refer to terpenoids (isoprenoids).

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