Amyl 889139 212259114 2008-05-14T01:57:40Z Cacycle 83784 /* Biochemistry */ uppercase The word or [[root (linguistics)|root]] '''amyl''' has two meanings, in [[organic chemistry]] and [[biochemistry]]. == Biochemistry == In biochemistry, "amyl" means "pertaining to starch". Many moderately complex biological chemicals related to starch contain it, 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 [[alkyl]] [[functional group]] and [[radical (chemistry)|radical]] called [[pentyl]] under the [[IUPAC nomenclature]]: that is, -C<sub>5</sub>H<sub>11</sub>. This usage may derive from the presence of amyl alcohol in [[fusel oil]], which is often [[Fermentation (food)|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 [[isomer]]s 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. "E-Amyl" is the name of the equivalent drug often sniffed by players of the game [[Second Life]] ==Etymology== "Amyl", used to mean "starch", was taken from Greek αμυλος = "cake made from fine [[flour]]", from α + μυλη = "not [[mill (grinding)|mill]]" because the flour used to make an αμυλος was not ground on the same [[grindstone]]s as ordinary bread flour. == See also == * [[Methyl]] * [[Ethyl]] * [[Propyl]] * [[Butyl]] [[Category:Biomolecules]] [[Category:Functional groups]] [[nl:Amyl]]