monomolecularadj.
/ˌmɒnə(ʊ)məˈlɛkjᵿlə/, U.S. /ˈˌmɑnəməˈlɛkjələr/ Chemistry.
1. Composed of or relating to a single molecule or single molecules.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > atomic chemistry > [adjective] > relating to molecules > by number
monomolecular1876
bimolecular1899
termolecular1901
supermolecular1908
polymolecular1922
1876 London, Edinb., & Dublin Philos. Mag. 5th Ser. 1 53 Taking the salts in monomolecular ratio.
1877 Chem. News 23 Mar. 124/1 (heading) On the monomolecular unit of volume for gases and vapours.
1915 Jrnl. Amer. Chem. Soc. 37 191 The anhydride of betaine, (CH3)3NCH2CO2, has the structure of a salt, but no one seems to have determined whether this is monomolecular or dimolecular.
1974 Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 346 79 (heading) A monomolecular electron transfer chain.
1993 J. Pournelle & S. M. Stirling Prince of Sparta 5 A cycle, boxy body slung between two wheels that were balls of Charbonneau alloy monomolecular thread.
2. Of a reaction: having a molecularity of one; unimolecular.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > chemical reactions or processes > [adjective] > of or relating to chemical reactions (general) > of or relating to or governed by reaction kinetics
kinetic1882
monomolecular1899
monadic1907
1899 Jrnl. Franklin Inst. 147 469 Another classical case of the monomolecular reaction is the decomposition of arsine.
1935 J. N. Friend Text-bk. Physical Chem. II. iii. 56 Radioactive transformations..provide the only known examples of true monomolecular reactions.
1943 J. B. Sumner & G. F. Somers Chem. & Methods of Enzymes i. 13 In most instances enzyme reactions classed as monomolecular are only approximately so.
1973 Biol. Abstr. 55 2244/1 The monomolecular reaction equation gives a good fit to disease progress curve in the field within the primary infection period.
1989 R. Dryer & G. Lata Exper. Biochem. i. iii. 58 Radioactive decay is a monomolecular, first-order process.
3. Of a film or layer: one molecule thick.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > covering > a layer > [adjective] > thin > very thin (of layer)
monomolecular1917
1917 Jrnl. Amer. Chem. Soc. 39 1904 On cooling these surfaces to liquid air temperature the surfaces become covered with a monomolecular layer.
1941 Ann. Reg. 1940 353 The remarkable properties of monomolecular films of certain organic liquids spread over water, mercury, or gallium.
1965 B. E. Freeman tr. A. Vandel Biospeleol. xviii. 317 It is the monomolecular waxy layer which makes the integument of terrestrial arthropods impermeable to water.
1990 New Scientist 28 July 97 (advt.) One post..concerns research into the properties of very thin, monomolecular lubricant film in contacts.
Derivatives
ˌmonomoˈlecularly adv. in a monomolecular way; as single molecules.
ΚΠ
1928 Proc. National Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 14 128 Such a decomposition, if it occurred monomolecularly, would involve a building up of energy in the vibration of the ions.
1964 Science 24 Mar. 1290/3 The kinetic behavior of systems in which the enzyme is surface-adsorbed and the substrate is molecularly dispersed are atypical when compared with systems in which both reactants are monomolecularly dispersed.
1996 Acta Pharmaceutica 46 265 Models for single drug binding monomolecularly to multiple sites are developed.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1876