Sulfonates

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A class of chemical compounds derived from sulfonic acids that are often used as surfactants and detergents
2. They consist of a sulfonate group attached to an organic moiety, serving various industrial applications
3. These substances are typically involved in enhancing solubility and stability in solutions, particularly in cleaning products and pharmaceuticals

Etymology: "Sulfonates" is the plural of "sulfonate," a chemical term built from "sulfon-," which comes from "sulfur," and the suffix "-ate." Sulfur traces back to Latin "sulphur," and the "sulfon-" element marks the sulfur-containing group in the parent compounds. The "-ate" ending is the chemical suffix for compounds derived from an acid whose name ends in "-ic," so the plural refers to several such compounds at once.

Synonyms: sulfates