different between zwitterion vs betaine

English

Etymology

From German Zwitterion, from Zwitter (“hermaphrodite”) + Ion (“ion”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?tsv?t??.a??n/, /?zw?t??.a??n/, /?tsw?t??.a??n/

Noun

zwitterion (plural zwitterions)

1. (chemistry) A molecule, such as an amino acid, that carries both a positive and a negative charge.

Synonyms

• inner salt
• dipolar ion

Translations

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• zwitteríon

Noun

zwitterion m (plural zwitterions)

1. (chemistry) zwitterion (molecule that carries both a positive and a negative charge)

English

Noun

betaine (countable and uncountable, plural betaines)

1. (uncountable, organic chemistry) A sweet, crystalline compound (not an alkaloid), trimethylammoniumacetate, found in sugar beet and similar plants, sometimes used to treat muscular degeneracy; the zwitterion (CH₃)₃N⁺CH₂COO^-
2. (countable, organic chemistry) Any derivative of this compound.
3. (countable, organic chemistry, by extension) Any similar compound, based on sulfur or phosphorus etc, having an onium ion with no hydrogen atom adjacent to the anionic atom.

Derived terms

• arsenobetaine
• polybetaine
• sulfobetaine

Anagrams

• Beatine, antibee