Chemistry: heterocyclic compounds

Self-tutoring about chemistry: the tutor mentions heterocyclic compounds.

The following is according to my understanding.

In my reading about cleaning products, I encountered the idea of heterocyclic compounds. Yet, what are they?

In the context of organic chemistry, a cyclic compound is a ring of some kind: it doesn’t have ends. Benzene, for example, is a six-carbon ring.

A heterocyclic compound means a ring constructed from more than one type of atom. To be part of the ring, an atom must have a bonding capability of at least two.

An example of a heterocyclic compound is furan, which is a ring of four carbons and an oxygen.

Source:

chemistry.msu.edu