Chemical trap
Encyclopedia
In chemistry
, a chemical trap is a chemical compound
that is used to detect a certain molecule
when
With the reaction product of the chemical trap and the molecule in question it is possible to
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, a chemical trap is a chemical compound
Chemical compound
A chemical compound is a pure chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical elements that can be separated into simpler substances by chemical reactions. Chemical compounds have a unique and defined chemical structure; they consist of a fixed ratio of atoms that are held together...
that is used to detect a certain molecule
Molecule
A molecule is an electrically neutral group of at least two atoms held together by covalent chemical bonds. Molecules are distinguished from ions by their electrical charge...
when
- The concentrationConcentrationIn chemistry, concentration is defined as the abundance of a constituent divided by the total volume of a mixture. Four types can be distinguished: mass concentration, molar concentration, number concentration, and volume concentration...
of this molecule is very small and below detection limitDetection limitIn analytical chemistry, the detection limit, lower limit of detection, or LOD , is the lowest quantity of a substance that can be distinguished from the absence of that substance within a stated confidence limit... - The molecule is very reactive (for example cyclobutadieneCyclobutadieneCyclobutadiene is the smallest [n]-annulene , an extremely unstable hydrocarbon having a lifetime shorter than five seconds in the free state. It has chemical formula 44 and a rectangular structure verified by infrared studies. This is in contrast to the square geometry predicted by simple Hückel...
) and it is not possible to isolate or detect it by spectroscopicSpectroscopySpectroscopy is the study of the interaction between matter and radiated energy. Historically, spectroscopy originated through the study of visible light dispersed according to its wavelength, e.g., by a prism. Later the concept was expanded greatly to comprise any interaction with radiative...
means - The molecule is an enantiomerEnantiomerIn chemistry, an enantiomer is one of two stereoisomers that are mirror images of each other that are non-superposable , much as one's left and right hands are the same except for opposite orientation. It can be clearly understood if you try to place your hands one over the other without...
present in a racemate.
With the reaction product of the chemical trap and the molecule in question it is possible to
- Quantify the amount
- Prove the existence of the molecule