porphin

noun

por·​phin ˈpȯr-fən How to pronounce porphin (audio)
variants also porphine
: a deep purple crystalline compound C20H14N4 that is made synthetically from pyrrole and formaldehyde, contains four pyrrole rings joined by =CH− groups so as to give a heterocyclic arrangement, and forms the essential skeletal structure of the porphyrins, heme, and chlorophyll

Dictionary Entries Near porphin

Cite this Entry

“Porphin.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/porphin. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!