Alkyl group

Alkyl is derived from alkanes just by the loss of a hydrogen atom. Therefore univalent group which is formed from an alkane by the loss of a hydrogen atom is known as the alkyl group. Sometime the hydrogen atom in an alkane can be replaced (substituted)by another atom of another element to form a compound such a compound is said to contain the alkyl group and the substituted group. The alkyl group affects the physical properties of a compound.

Let take for example chloromethane, CH₃Cl, is composed of the methyl group, CH₃--, (obtained from methane, CH₄, by the loss of a hydrogen atom) linked to the substituent chlorine atom,—Cl.

CH₄ which is methane has its hydrogen atom replaced by another atom of a different element Cl to form CH₃Cl, where Cl is the atom of the different element. You will notice that the subscript of methane has turned from 4 to 3 and a new atom Cl has been introduced. This is due to the loss of the hydrogen atom in methane, CH₄ linked to the substituent atom – Cl.

Example

Simply put alkyl group are groups formed from a homologous series called alkanes by the loss of a hydrogen atom.

Alkyl group have a general formula of C_nH_2n+1. They are named after the parent alkanes by replacing the ending -ane by –ly.

 Alkyl group are given the general symbol, R. sometimes, R may stand for more complex groups than just simple alkyl groups.