heteroatoom
Heteroatom (plural: heteroatoms) is a term used in chemistry to describe an atom in an organic compound that is not carbon or hydrogen. Heteroatoms are important because their presence often changes reactivity, polarity, acidity, basicity, and physical properties of molecules. The term is sometimes misspelled as heteroatoom in informal sources.
Typical heteroatoms include oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and halogens such as fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine.
Heteroatoms commonly participate in hydrogen bonding, act as sites for nucleophilic or electrophilic attack, and modify
Biology and medicinal chemistry rely heavily on heteroatoms. Nitrogen, oxygen, and phosphorus form the backbone of