cacodylate
Definition
Noun (Chemistry): - A salt or ester of cacodylic acid, containing the anion (CH₃)₂AsO₂⁻. Cacodylates are organoarsenic compounds historically used in herbicides and as laboratory reagents.
Usage Examples
- (A common buffer containing the cacodylate ion.)
- (The compound poses health risks because it contains arsenic.)
Advanced Usage
Cacodylate buffer: A solution of sodium cacodylate and hydrochloric acid, used to stabilize pH in biological sample preparation.
- The tissue samples were fixed in cacodylate-buffered glutaraldehyde. (A standard method for preserving cellular structure.)
Cacodylate as a herbicide: Historically applied to control weeds, though its use has declined due to toxicity concerns.
- Cacodylate was once a common ingredient in some weed killers. (Now largely replaced by safer alternatives.)
Variants and Related Words
Cacodylic acid (n): the parent acid from which cacodylates are derived.
- Cacodylic acid has a strong, unpleasant odor. (The acid form of the compound.)
Cacodyl (n): the organoarsenic radical (CH₃)₂As–, which forms cacodyl compounds.
- Cacodyl compounds are highly toxic and flammable. (Related to cacodylate but chemically distinct.)
Synonyms
- Arsenate: a broader term for salts of arsenic acid, though cacodylate is a specific organoarsenic form.
- Methylarsonate: a related arsenic compound with similar applications.
Related Idioms
- (No common idioms exist for this highly specialized chemical term.)
Phrasal Verbs
- (No phrasal verbs apply to this noun.)