naphth(o)-
Napthalene.
[Latin naphtha, from Greek, of Iranian origin.]
Naphtha is a flammable oil containing various light hydrocarbons, obtained by distillation of coal, shale, or petroleum. Compounds related to it, both chemically and linguistically, include naphthalene (used in mothballs and as a raw material for chemical manufacture); the naphthenes (cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbons such as cyclohexane, isolated from naphtha); the naphthoquinones (a set of six isomeric compounds, one of which is a precursor to a vitamin K analogue); and naphthol, used as an antiseptic and to make dyes.
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