Amyl
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The word or root amyl has two meanings, in organic chemistry and biochemistry.
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[edit] Biochemistry
In biochemistry, "amyl" means "pertaining to starch". Many moderately complex biological chemicals related to starch contain it, for example:-
Note that in this usage, it is a part of the word, and becomes "amylo" when preceding a consonant.
[edit] Chemistry
In organic chemistry, amyl is the old trivial name for the radical called pentyl under the IUPAC nomenclature: that is, -C5H11. This usage may derive from the presence of amyl alcohol in fusel oil, which is often fermented from starches. In this usage, amyl (normally) remains a separate word and it does not become "amylo-" before a consonant.
Several important amyl/pentyl compounds are still widely known by their older, amyl names, including:
- amylamine
- amyl acetate
- amyl alcohol
- amyl nitrate
- amyl nitrite
There are eight possible isomers of amyl; see under pentyl for more information. Frequently chemicals sold commercially as amyl compounds will be a mixture of several isomers.
[edit] Slang
"Amyl" is also a slang term for amyl nitrite when used as a recreational drug.
[edit] Etymology
"Amyl", used to mean "starch", was taken from Greek αμυλος = "cake made from fine flour", from α + μυλη = "not mill" because the flour used to make an αμυλος was not ground on the same grindstones as ordinary bread flour.
