Methyl group

The methylene group ( also referred to as methyl group ) is one of the simplest arrangements of atoms in the organic chemistry. The formula is - CH3. It is not a separate chemical substance, but always part of a larger molecule. It is the simplest alkyl group and is found in many chemical compounds. Whose systematic name then contain the syllable " -methyl- " (such as 2-methyl butane).

In the literature, the methyl group is sometimes abbreviated as " Me", then from CH3OH for methanol (methyl alcohol) MeOH.

Properties

Methyl groups are, as usual for alkanes, very slow to react. They respond only under drastic conditions, such as in the oxidation of p-xylene (1,4- dimethylbenzene ), with potassium permanganate to terephthalic acid (1,4- benzenedicarboxylic acid ). In these cases, the reactivity of the methyl group is also enhanced by the adjacent aromatic ring.

A methyl group having a positive inductive effect, such as on an adjacent benzene ring, as the carbon atom having an electron donating effect on the ring. Therefore, the methyl group directing to the second substituents on the electrophilic substitution at the ortho -and para- position.