Catenation

A nonane molecule, consisting of nine carbon atoms in a chain with hydrogen atoms surrounding it

In chemistry, catenation is the bonding of atoms of the same element into a series, called a chain.[1] A chain or a ring shape may be open if its ends are not bonded to each other (an open-chain compound), or closed if they are bonded in a ring (a cyclic compound). The words to catenate and catenation reflect the Latin root catena, "chain".

  1. ^ Oxford English Dictionary, 1st edition (1889) [http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/30197 s.v. 'chain', definition 4g

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