alkyl group

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. any of a series of univalent groups of the general formula C n H 2n+1 , derived from aliphatic hydrocarbons, as the methyl group, CH 3 −, or ethyl group, C 2 H 5 −.

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Example Sentences

The name of an alkyl group is obtained by dropping the suffix -ane of the alkane name and adding -yl:

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

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

Some hydrocarbons can form more than one type of alkyl group when the hydrogen atoms that would be removed have different “environments” in the molecule.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

The location of an alkyl group on a hydrocarbon chain is indicated in the same way as any other substituent:

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

The hydrogen in the hydroxyl group, as is known, may be substituted by an alkyl group.

From Scientific American Supplement No. 822, October 3, 1891 by Various