List of Chemical Compounds With Unusual Names

The collection listed below presents a sample of trivial names and gives an idea how chemists are inspired when they coin a brand new name for a chemical compound outside of systematic naming. It also includes some examples of systematic names and acronyms that accidentally resemble English words.

Adamantane	(tricyclo[3.3.1.13,7]decane), a crystalline cycloalkane  an isomer of twistane.
Alcindoromycine	an anthracycline antibiotic agent named after the character Alcindoro in La Bohème
Angelic acid	An organic acid found in garden angelica (Angelica archangelica), Umbelliferae, and many other plants.
Arsole	(C4H5As), an analogue of pyrrole in which an arsenic atom replaces the nitrogen atom. The aromaticity of arsoles has been debated for many years.[9] The compound in which a benzene ring is fused to arsole — typically on the carbon atoms 3 and 4 — is known as benzarsole.
BARF	(tetrakis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate), a fluoroaryl borate B(Ar(CF3)2)4–, used as a non-coordinating anion
Barrelene	(C8H8), the name derives from the resemblance with a barrel.
Bastardane	a close relative to adamantane and its proper name is ethano-bridged noradamantane. Because its unusual ethano-bridge was a deviation from the standardhydrocarbon caged rearrangements, it came to be known as bastardane—the unwanted child.[11]
Bohemamine	an anti-tumour agent named after the Puccini opera La Bohème.
Bongkrek acid	a deadly respiratory toxin named after the fermented coconut dish tempe bongkrèk in which it occurs after contamination with the bacterium Burkholderia cocovenenans. Its name resembles a combination of Bong, Crack and Acid.
Borneol	Named after the island Borneo.
Buckminsterfullerene	or buckyballs, a form of carbon named after Buckminster Fuller due to its resemblance to Fuller's geodesic domes. The term was coined byHarold Kroto.[12] The alternative name Footballene was coined by A.D.J. Haymet[13] because the molecule also resembles a football.
Bullvalene	tricyclo[3.3.2.02,8]deca-3,6,9-triene (C10H10), was named by organic chemist Maitland Jones, Jr. for William "Bull" Doering who predicted its properties in 1963.[14][15] Within a specific temperature range the molecule is subject to rapid degenerate Cope rearrangements with the result that all carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms are equivalent and that none of the carbon-carbon bonds is permanent.
Cadaverine	a foul-smelling diamine produced by putrefaction of dead animal tissue.
catP	the name of the enzyme responsible for chloramphenicol resistance in various species of bacteria.
Collinemycin	an anthracycline antibiotic agent named after the character Colline in La Bohème.
Constipatic acid	[2-(14-hydroxypentadecyl)-4-methyl-5-oxo-2,5-dihydrofuran-3-carboxylic acid], an aliphatic acid derived from the Australian Xanthoparmelialichen.
Crapinon	an anticholinergic drug, one side effect of which is constipation
Cubane	a hydrocarbon whose eight carbon atoms occupy the vertices of a cube.
Cumene	The common name for isopropylbenzene.
Cummingtonite	((Mg,Fe)7Si8(OH)22), a magnesium-iron silicate hydroxide, first identified in Cummington, Massachusetts.
DAMN	Diaminomaleonitrile, an organic chamical that contains two amine groups and two nitrile groups boud to an ethylene backbone.
Diabolic acid	a series of long-chain dicarboxylic acids with chains of different lengths. Named after the Greek word diabollo meaning to mislead.
DEAD	an apt acronym, given that diethyl azodicarboxylate is explosive; shock sensitive; carcinogenic; and an eye, skin, and respiratory irritant.
Dickite	(Al2Si2O5(OH)4), a clay-like material with a number of manufacturing uses, one of which is as a coating for high-quality bond paper. It is named after its discoverer, Dr. W. Thomas Dick.
Dinocap	(C18H24N2O6), a miticide and contact fungicide used to control powdery mildew in crops.
Draculin	an anticoagulant found in the saliva of vampire bats.
DuPhos	A class of asymmetric ligands for asymmetric synthesis. The name DuPhos is derived from the chemical company that developed this type of ligand (DuP , DuPont) and the compound class of phospholanes (Phos) it belongs to.
Earthcide or Fartox'	(C6Cl5NO2) Also called Quintozene, some of the many names for pentachloronitrobenzene, a fungicide.
Fenestrane	a class of compounds with a 'window pane motif' (the name fenestrane derives from the Latin word fenestra, meaning window), comprising four fused carbocycles centred on a quaternary carbon resulting a twice over spiro compound. The illustration at right shows a generic fenestrane as well as the specific examples [4,4,4,4]fenestrane and [5,5,5,5]fenestrane. Fenestranes are of considerable interest in theoretical chemistry though comparatively few have actually been synthesised.
Fucitol	(C6H14O5), an alcohol derived from Fucus vesiculosis, a North Atlantic seaweed. Its optical isomers are also called D-fuc-ol and L-fuc-ol.
fucK	the name of the gene that encodes L-fuculokinase, an enzyme that catalyzes a chemical reaction between L-fuculose, ADP, and L-fuculose-1-phosphate.
Furfural	Furfural is an industrial chemical compound derived from a variety of agricultural byproducts, including corncobs, oat and wheat bran, andsawdust. The name furfural comes from the Latin word furfur, meaning bran, referring to its usual source.
Fluoboric Acid	BF4H, tetrafluoroborate or tetrafluoroboric acid.
Fukalite	(Ca4Si2O6(CO3)(OH, F))2, a rare form of calcium silicocarbonate mined in the Fuka region of Japan.
Gossypol	a toxin found in cottonseed used as a male contraceptive.
Hirsutene	is also named after an animal: a goat (Hircus), occasionally the molecule is depicted upside down
Homocubane	An molecule synthesized from cubane.
Horseradish peroxidase	An enzyme used extensively in molecular biology applications primarily for its ability to amplify a weak signal and increase detectability of a target molecule.
Irene	Hantzsch-Widman nomenclature for a monocyclic, heterocyclic compound with three ring atoms.
Josiphos	A well-known catalyst, named after Josi Puleo, the technician who first prepared it. Mandyphos and Taniaphos also exist.
Ladderane	An organic molecule that looks like a ladder because it contains two or more fused rings of cyclobutane.
Megaphone	a ketone derived from the root of Aniba megaphylla.
Mimimycin	an anthracycline antibiotic agent named after the character Mimì in La Bohème
Miraculin	a glycoprotein found in Miracle Fruit that makes sour foods taste sweet after contact with taste buds.
Moronic acid	3-oxoolean-18-en-28-oic acid, a natural triterpene
Mucic acid	a product of nitric acid oxidation of galactose or galactose-containing compounds
Muscovite	a phyllosilicate mineral of aluminium and potassium.
Musettamycin	an anthracycline antibiotic agent named after the character Musetta in La Bohème.
Naftazone	(C11H9N3O2), a vasoprotective drug. The NAFTA free-trade zone is the area covered by the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Nonanal	(C9H18O), an aldehyde derived from nonane.
Olympiadane	A mechanically-interlocked compound based on the topology for the Olympic rings.
Orotic acid	(pyrimidinecarboxylic acid), has been referred to as vitamin B13.
Penguinone	(3,4,4,5-tetramethylcyclohexa-2,5-dienone), so named because its two-dimensional structure resembles a penguin.
PEPPSI	PEPPSI is short for Pyridine-Enhanced Precatalyst Preparation Stabilization and Initiation.
Performic acid	a strongly oxidizing acid related to formic acid.
Periodic acid	or per-iodic acid is pronounced /ˌpɜr.aɪˈɒdɨk/ PURR-eye-OD-ik and not /ˌpɪərɪˈɒdɨk/ PEER-ee-OD-ik. It refers to one of the two interconvertable species HIO4 (metaperiodic acid) or H5IO6 (orthoperiodic acid - illustrated at right). The per- prefix in the name denotes that iodine is present in its highest possible (+VII) oxidation state.
Periplanone B	A pheromone of the female American cockroach. Named after the scientific name of this species, Periplaneta americana, not because of periplanarity.
Picket Fence Porphyrin	5,10,15,20-tetrakis(alpha,alpha,alpha-2-pivalamidophenyl)porphyrin, used to model heme enzyme active sites.
Pikachurin	a retinal protein named after Pokémon character / species Pikachu
Prismane	an isomer of benzene with the carbon atoms arranged in the shape of a triangular prism.
Psicose	(C6H12O6), a rare low-calorie sugar that provides 0.3% as much energy as sucrose.
Putrescine	a foul-smelling diamine produced by the putrefaction of dead animal tissue.
R-CMP	(R-cytodine monophosphate) a component of RNA, but also the acronym for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Ranasmurfin	a blue protein from the foam nests of a tropical frog, named after the Smurfs.
Rednose	a sugar derived from the degradation of rudolphomycin.
Rhamnetin	a flavonol dye derived from buckthorn (rhamnus).
Rhamnose	a sugar naturally occurring in buckthorn (rhamnus).
Rudolphomycin	an anthracycline antibiotic agent named after the character Rodolfo (Rudolph) in La Bohème.
Ru(Tris)BiPy-on-a-stick	shorthand form of (trans-1,4-bis[(4-pyridyl)ethenyl]benzene)(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II).
SEX	the official abbreviation of sodium ethyl xanthate, it has structural formula CH3CH2OCS2Na, IUPAC name sodium O-ethylcarbonodithioate, and it is a flotation agent used in the mining industry;
Skatole	a substance of disagreeable odor that occurs in feces, but also in lower concentrations in flowers, orange blossoms, jasmine.
Sonic hedgehog	a protein named after Sonic the Hedgehog
Spermine,Spermidine,polyamine	growth factors involved in cellular metabolism.
Thebacon	Dihydrocodeinone enol acetate, an opioid analgesic or antitussive.
Titanic acid	the hydrated form of titanium dioxide.
Traumatic acid	a substance occurring in plants, with a role in healing damaged tissue.
Unununium	(Uuu), the former temporary name of the chemical element number 111, a synthetic transuranium element. This element was named roentgenium (Rg) in November 2004.
Uranate	the chemical term for an oxide anion of the element uranium.
Uranocene	U(C8H8)2, a uranium sandwich compound similar to ferrocene (Fe(C5H5)2) with two co-ordinating aromatic and anionic cyclooctatetraenide rings sandwiching the U atom (formally in its +IV oxidation state).
Vomitoxin	a mycotoxine occurring in grains.