alkyl

Saturated carbon chain

An alkyl is a molecular fragment derived from an alkane by removing one hydrogen atom, leaving a bonding site that attaches to other molecules.

Alkyl groups are named by swapping the -ane ending for -yl: methane becomes methyl, ethane becomes ethyl.

The term appears constantly in organic chemistry: alkyl halides, alkyl chains, an alkyl group attached to the benzene ring.

groups

methyl

Single-carbon alkyl group

ethylTwo-carbon radical
butylFour-carbon alkyl radical
isopropylBranched three-carbon alcohol

benzyl · vinyl · phenyl · amyl · lauryl

hydrocarbons

methane

Simplest alkane fuel

ethaneTwo-carbon alkane
propaneFlammable hydrocarbon fuel
butaneFlammable hydrocarbon gas

pentane · hexane · heptane · octane · decane · paraffin · isobutane · cyclopentane · cyclohexane · saturated

properties

hydrophobic

Repels aqueous substances

lipophilicAttracted to fatty substances
nonpolarElectrically balanced molecule type
saturatedThoroughly soaked through

inert · stable · flexible · bulky · hindrance · inductive · sigma · bond · tetrahedral · conformational

reactions

halide

Halogen-element compound

substitutionExchange of one for another
eliminationAct of removing entirely
organometallicCarbon bonded to metal

lithium · transfer · migration · rearrangement · coupling · bromination · chlorination · abstraction · SN1 · SN2

Categories

chemistryatom, atoms, organic chemistry, molecule, chemistry
chemical groupsmethyl, amino, ethyl, carboxyl, phenyl
ligandschloro, carbonyl, azide, aqua, bromide

Opposites

aromaticity/saturation type

Pleasantly strong-smelling

phenyl · benzyl

saturation (bond type)

alkylvinyl

Synthetic resin plastic

functional group type

-OH functional group

amino · carbonyl · carboxyl · halide · nitro

Phrases

alkali burnsWounds from basic substances
chlor-alkali processBrine electrolysis for chemicals
alkali metalsHighly reactive soft elements

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