Acyl group

The acetyl group, the acyl group related to acetic acid.

Drawing of acetic acid showing two carbon atoms. The drawing, is one kind of structural formula.

In chemistry, an acyl group is a functional group (part of a molecule) related to an oxoacid. Removing a –OH group from an oxoacid gives the related acyl group.

In organic chemistry, acyl groups are usually related to carboxylic acids. For example, acetic acid is a carboxylic acid with the formula CH
3COOH, and the acetyl group is an acyl group with the formula CH
3CO–.

The formal definition of an acyl group allows for inorganic acids. The nitro group (related to nitric acid) and sulfonyl group (related to sulfuric acid and sulfonic acids) are inorganic acyl groups by this definition.

Acyl Group Media

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  A general acyl group (blue) in a ketone (top left), as an acylium cation (top centre), as an acyl radical (top right), an aldehyde (bottom left), ester (bottom centre) or amide (bottom right). (R1
  , R2
  and R3
  stands for organyl substituent or hydrogen in the case of R1
  )

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  Acid chlorides are most reactive towards nucleophiles, followed by anhydrides, esters, amides, and carboxylate anions.

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  Chemical structure of Acetyl chloride. Skeletal representation

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  Structure of Acetic anhydride

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  Line drawing of the acetate anion.

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  Skeletal formula of ethyl acetate.*CAS® Registry Number: 141-78-6 Image generated in ChemDraw Professional 22.2 and converted into SVG file using

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  Line drawing of the ethoxide anion.

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  AcetamideDskeletal

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  The amide anion, which is the conjugate base of ammonia.

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  Line drawing of the acetate anion.