🧪 Six-carbon group 🧪 Six-carbon chain

hexyl

1 9.2

A chemical group of six carbon atoms joined in a chain

noun
/ˈhɛksɪl/

Specialized

: hexilo

Many compounds contain a hexyl radical.

Examples

Researchers studied how the hexyl radical reacts with other compounds in the solution.
The hexyl group is important in organic chemistry.
The chemist added a hexyl group to the molecule to change its properties.
Many surfactants contain a hexyl chain as part of their structure.
The chemist described the unique properties of hexyl groups in organic compounds.
This new perfume contains hexyl as one of its key ingredients.
In the molecular structure, the hexyl radical contributes to the compound's stability.

Surface Forms

hexyl singular

hexyls plural

Morphology

hexyl = hexane (semi-transparent) = hex + yl

Formation from the six-carbon alkane ('hexane') to the corresponding radical is regular chemistry morphology, but '-yl' is technical.

Etymology

Hexyl comes from the Greek root hex- meaning 'six', as in hexagon, and the chemistry ending -yl meaning 'a group or part'. So a hexyl is the six-carbon chain or group attached to a molecule.