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 −.

---

Example Sentences

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

We call a substituent that contains one less hydrogen than the corresponding alkane an alkyl group.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

Write the structures for all the isomers of the –C5H11 alkyl group.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

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

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