Oligomer

15-Crown-5 is an oligomer made of five units of ethylene oxide.

An oligomer is a type of molecule made from several smaller molecules (monomers) that have become joined together. Unlike polymers, which are very long chains, oligomers are small enough that removing or adding one monomer can change how they act. This means the chemical formula of an oligomer is normally more specific than the formula of a polymer.

References

  1. ↑ IUPAC, Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. (the "Gold Book") (2025). Online version: (2006–) "Oligomer molecule". doi:10.1351/goldbook.O04286