pyrrolidine Chem.
(pɪˈrɒlɪdiːn)
[ad. G. pyrrolidin (Ciamician & Magnaghi 1885, in Ber. d. Deut. Chem. Ges. XVIII. 2080): see pyrrole and -idine.]
A saturated heterocyclic compound, (CH2)4NH, which is a colourless, pungent, strongly basic liquid obtained esp. by catalytic reduction of pyrrole; any substituted derivative of this. Freq. attrib., as pyrrolidine nucleus, ring, a saturated ring of four carbon atoms and one nitrogen.
| 1885 Jrnl. Chem. Soc. XLVIII. ii. 1243 Pyrrolidine..C4NH9, is obtained with other products from hydropyrroline in the above reaction; it shows great similarity in properties to piperidine, hence the name given to it. 1926 H. G. Rule tr. J. Schmidt's Text-bk. Org. Chem. 532 Certain important degradation products of the coca and atropa alkaloids have been identified as carboxylic acids of pyrrolidine. 1956 I. L. Finar Org. Chem. II. xiv. 531 The presence of this pyrrolidine nucleus also accounts for the formation of pyrrole when nicotine zincichloride is distilled. 1963 T. Robinson Org. Constituents of Higher Plants xii. 256 Leete..using 1, 4-labelled putrescine fed to tobacco found that it was an efficient precursor of the pyrrolidine ring in nicotine. 1976 Streitwieser & Heathcock Introd. Org. Chem. xxxv. 1065 Pyrrolidine and piperidine are typical secondary amines. |