Alkyl group

Alkyl Group

Alkyl group (pronounced: /ˈælkɪl/) is a type of functional group in organic chemistry. It is derived from an alkane by removing one hydrogen atom, resulting in a group of atoms with the general formula CnH2n+1.

Etymology

The term "alkyl" is derived from the German word "Alkyl", which itself comes from the Greek word "hals", meaning "salt". In the context of chemistry, the term was originally used to refer to any compound of a type typically formed by replacing a hydrogen atom in an acid by a metal.

Related Terms

• Alkane
• Alkene
• Alkyne
• Functional group
• Hydrocarbon
• Radical

Description

An alkyl group is a piece of a molecule with the general formula (CH3)−(CH2)n−, where n is the number of carbons linked together. The alkyl group is a type of hydrocarbon group. It is an alkane missing one hydrogen, therefore an alkyl group can be categorized as a substituent when it is attached to a larger molecule, replacing one hydrogen atom.

Alkyl groups can be transferred from one molecule to another in the form of carbocations, carbanions, free radicals, carbenes, and carbynes.

Examples

Common examples of alkyl groups include:

• Methyl (CH3)
• Ethyl (C2H5)
• Propyl (C3H7)
• Butyl (C4H9)

See Also

• Alkylating agent
• Alkylation
• Alkyl halide
• Alkyl nitrites
• Alkyl sulfonates

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Alkyl group
• Wikipedia's article - Alkyl group

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