Hydrocarbons of biological origin having carbon skeletons formally derived from isoprene
[CH2=C(CH3)CH=CH2].
This class is subdivided into the
C5 hemiterpenes,
C10 monoterpenes,
C15 sesquiterpenes,
C20 diterpenes,
C25 sesterterpenes,
C30 triterpenes,
C40 tetraterpenes (
carotenoids)
and
C5n polyterpenes.
Source:
PAC, 1995, 67, 1307
(Glossary of class names of organic compounds and reactivity intermediates based on
structure (IUPAC Recommendations 1995))
on page 1371