pyrrole, any of a class of organic compounds of the heterocyclic series characterized by a ring structure composed of four carbon atoms and one nitrogen atom. The simplest member of the pyrrole family is pyrrole itself, a compound with molecular formula C4H5N. The pyrrole ring system is present in the amino acids proline and hydroxyproline; and in coloured natural products, such as chlorophyll, heme (a part of hemoglobin), and the bile pigments. Pyrrole compounds also are found among the alkaloids, a large class of alkaline organic nitrogen compounds produced by plants.
In heme and chlorophyll, four pyrrole rings are joined in a larger ring system known as porphyrin. The bile pigments are formed by decomposition of the porphyrin ring and contain a chain of four pyrrole rings.