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Glite Dictionary
to butylate

to butylate

9.9
To add a butyl group to a chemical compound
  • verb
  • /ˈbjuːtɪleɪt/
  • Specialized
: butilar
  • The researchers worked carefully to butylate the precursor chemicals before the reaction.
  • butylated hydroxyanisole
  • butylated hydroxytoluene

Examples

  • Unfortunately, BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) has been shown to cause cancer in rats, mice, and hamsters.

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  • Chemists often butylate compounds to improve their stability in various formulations.

  • To enhance the properties of the plastic, manufacturers may butylate certain additives.

Synonyms

to alkylate
vsto butylate
  • Specialized
1 9.8

To add a small carbon chain to a molecule to change its properties

introduce a specific four-carbon side chain rather than a general carbon chain

Surface Forms

butylate infinitive
butylated past
butylated past participle
butylating present participle
butylates third person singular

Morphology

butylate = butyl (transparent) = butyl + ate

Formed by the chemical combining form 'butyl' plus the productive verb-forming suffix '-ate', so the meaning 'to introduce a butyl group' is directly predictable from its parts for learners familiar with chemical naming.

Etymology

Butylate comes from butyl, a name that goes back to the word for 'butter' because chemists found a related acid in butter, and the ending -ate means 'to make' or 'to treat with'. So, butylate means 'to add a butyl group' to a molecule, which explains its modern use in chemistry.