alkyl

American  

[al-kuhl] / ˈæl kəl /

adjective

1. containing an alkyl group.

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noun

1. an alkyl group.

alkyl British  

/ ˈælkɪl /

noun

1. (modifier) of, consisting of, or containing the monovalent group C n H 2n+1

   alkyl group or radical

2. an organometallic compound, such as tetraethyl lead, containing an alkyl group bound to a metal atom

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alkyl Scientific  

/ ăl′kəl /

1. A radical that has the general formula C _n H _{2n + 1}, formed by removing a hydrogen atom from an alkane. Ethyl and propyl are alkyls.

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Etymology

Origin of alkyl

1880–85; < German, equivalent to Alk ( ohol ) alcohol + -yl -yl

Example Sentences

With this challenge in mind, a team of organic and computational chemists at WPI-ICReDD at Hokkaido University has developed a catalytic strategy that finally enables the formation of alkyl ketyl radicals.

From Science Daily • Nov. 26, 2025

These radicals are highly useful intermediates in natural product synthesis and pharmaceutical research, but most available techniques are designed for aryl ketones rather than simpler alkyl ketones.

From Science Daily • Nov. 26, 2025

In this study, the researchers synthesized PSPBs with different molecular weights and added varying amounts of hydrophobic monomers individually and with different alkyl chains through a process known as reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization.

From Science Daily • May 30, 2024

As shown in the following compound, the red symbols represent the smaller alkyl group and the oxygen atom, which would be named “methoxy.”

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

The second major group of insecticides, the alkyl or organic phosphates, are among the most poisonous chemicals in the world.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson