tautomerism
[ taw-tom-uh-riz-uh m ]
/ tɔˈtɒm əˌrɪz əm /
noun Chemistry.
the ability of certain organic compounds to react in isomeric structures that differ from each other in the position of a hydrogen atom and a double bond.
Origin of tautomerism
First recorded in 1880–85;
tauto- +
(iso)merism
OTHER WORDS FROM tautomerism
tau·to·mer·ic [taw-tuh-mer-ik] /ˌtɔ təˈmɛr ɪk/, adjective non·tau·to·mer·ic, adjectiveWords nearby tautomerism
tautologism,
tautologize,
tautology,
tautomer,
tautomeric fiber,
tautomerism,
tautomerize,
tautonym,
tautosyllabic,
tav,
tavel
British Dictionary definitions for tautomerism
tautomerism
/ (tɔːˈtɒməˌrɪzəm) /
noun
the ability of certain chemical compounds to exist as a mixture of two interconvertible isomers in equilibrium
See also keto-enol tautomerism
Derived forms of tautomerism
tautomeric (ˌtɔːtəˈmɛrɪk), adjectiveWord Origin for tautomerism
C19: from
tauto- +
isomerism
Medical definitions for tautomerism
tautomerism
[ tô-tŏm′ə-rĭz′əm ]
n.
Chemical isomerism in which the isomeric forms differ little, usually only in the position of a hydrogen atom, and are able to exist in equilibrium and react with each other.