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Amyl is a linguistic root word derived from the Latin amylum, from Greek αμυλον, meaning starch. It has two distinct but related meanings, in organic chemistry and biochemistry.

Contents [hide] 1 Biochemistry 2 Chemistry 3 Slang 4 See also

 

Biochemistry

In biochemistry, amyl means "pertaining to starch". Many moderately complex biological chemicals related to starch contain the root, for example:

• amylase
• amylopectin
• amylose

Note that in this usage, it is a part of the word, and becomes "amylo" when preceding a consonant.

 

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, itself 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.

 

Slang

Amyl is also a slang term for amyl nitrite when used as a recreational drug.