cyclic compound

cyclic compound any one of a class of compounds whose molecules contain a number of atoms bonded together to form a closed chain or ring. If all of the atoms that form the ring are carbon, the compound is said to be carbocyclic; if not, the compound is called heterocyclic. Cyclohexane and benzene are homocyclic hydrocarbons; furfural is heterocyclic, as is pyridine. A cyclic compound that behaves chemically like the open-chain aliphatic compounds is said to be alicyclic; cyclohexane is such a compound. Many cyclic compounds exhibit the special properties characteristic of the aromatic compounds.

cy·clic / ˈsīklik; ˈsik-/ • adj. 1. occurring in cycles; regularly repeated: the cyclic pattern of the last two decades. ∎  Math. (of a group) having the property that each element of the group can be expressed as a power of one particular element. ∎  relating to or denoting a musical or literary composition with a recurrent theme or structural device. 2. Math. of or relating to a circle or other closed curve. ∎  Geom. (of a polygon) having all its vertices lying on a circle. ∎  Chem. (of a compound) having a molecular structure containing one or more closed rings of atoms. ∎  Bot. (of a flower) having its parts arranged in whorls. DERIVATIVES: cy·cli·cal adj. (in sense 1). cy·cli·cal·ly / -ik(ə)lē/ adv.