isoprene

I1S1O1P3R1E1N1E1
UK/ˈaɪsə(ʊ)pɹiːn/US/ˈaɪsəˌpɹin/

noun

An unsaturated hydrocarbon, C₅H₈, that is readily polymerized; natural rubber (caoutchouc) is cis-1,4-polyisoprene, and trans-1,4-polyisoprene is present in gutta-percha and balata; it is the structural basis for the terpenes.

Similar
2-methyl-1,3-butadiene
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Meanings

nounisoprene (plural isoprenes)

plural isoprenes

  1. chemistryAn unsaturated hydrocarbon, C₅H₈, that is readily polymerized; natural rubber (caoutchouc) is cis-1,4-polyisoprene, and trans-1,4-polyisoprene is present in gutta-percha and balata; it is the structural basis for the terpenes.

    Synonyms: 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAn unsaturated hydrocarbon, C₅H₈, that is readily polymerized; natural rubber (caoutchouc) is cis-1,4-polyisoprene, and trans-1,4-polyisoprene is present in gutta-percha and balata; it is the structural basis for the terpenes.

Similar
2-methyl-1,3-butadiene
Also see
isobutadiene

Origin

Coined (1860) by British chemist C. G. Williams, from iso- (“equal; different, isomeric”) + pr(op)- (“three carbon prefix”) + -ene (“alkene suffix”). A misnomer.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan isoprè
  • isoprèisoprene
Chinese Mandarin 異戊二烯 /异戊二烯
  • 異戊二烯 /异戊二烯 (yìwù'èrxī)isoprene
Finnish isopreeni
  • isopreeniisoprene
French isoprène
  • isoprèneisoprene
German Isopren
  • Isoprenisoprene
Greek ισοπρένιο
  • ισοπρένιο (isoprénio)isoprene
Hebrew איזופרן
  • איזופרןisoprene
Hungarian izoprén
  • izoprénisoprene
Icelandic ísópren
  • ísóprenisoprene
Irish isipréin
  • isipréinisoprene
Italian isoprene
  • isopreneisoprene
Japanese イソプレン
  • イソプレン (isopuren)isoprene
Korean 이소프렌
  • 이소프렌 (isopeuren)isoprene
Lithuanian izoprenas
  • izoprenasisoprene
Malay isoprena
  • isoprenaisoprene
Polish izopren
  • izoprenisoprene
Portuguese isopreno
  • isoprenoisoprene
Romanian izopren
  • izoprenisoprene
Russian изопре́н
  • изопре́н (izoprén)isoprene
Spanish isopreno
  • isoprenoisoprene
Cite this entry
APA

isoprene. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/isoprene

MLA

“isoprene.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/isoprene. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “isoprene,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/isoprene.

Source: isoprene on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.