Definition
In chemistry a zwitterion (from the German “hybrid ion”), or inner salt, is a compound containing both a formal positive and a formal negative charge on different atoms. As the molecule contains two opposite charges, it is electrically neutral. Some common examples of zwitterions are amino acids such as glycine (at physiological pH, as the state of the ionizable groups is pH dependent), although many amino acids contain a third ionizable group. Most zwitterions are fairly soluble in water and thus poorly soluble in many organic solvents.
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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Cleaves, H.J.(. (2014). Zwitterion. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1708-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1708-4
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Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4
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Latest
Zwitterion- Published:
- 07 April 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1708-5
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Zwitterion- Published:
- 16 April 2015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1708-4