Heterocyclic compound

In organic chemistry, a heterocyclic compound is a chemical compound that has a ring of atoms (it is a cyclic compound), and at least one atom in the ring is not carbon. The ring is called a heterocycle, and the non-carbon atoms are called heteroatoms.

Example heterocycle families

Class Ring size Heteroatom(s) Example Example structure
Epoxides 3 1 oxygen Propylene oxide
Monosaccharides 5 (furanose) or 6 (pyranose) 1 oxygen Glucopyranose
Lactams Any 1 nitrogen Caprolactam
Crown ethers Any Oxygen, fixed ratio to carbon 18-crown-6
Penicillins 4 and 5, fused 1 nitrogen, 1 sulfur Penicillin
Porphyrins 5, four rings 1 nitrogen per ring Heme
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