autoalkylation
|au-to-al-ky-la-tion|
🇺🇸
/ˌɔːtoʊælˌkɪˈleɪʃən/
🇬🇧
/ˌɔːtəʊælˌkɪˈleɪʃən/
self-alkylation
Etymology
'autoalkylation' is formed by combining the Greek-derived prefix 'auto-' meaning 'self' with 'alkylation.' The element 'alkyl' is a 19th-century chemical term derived from 'alcohol' plus the radical suffix '-yl', used to denote alkyl radicals.
'autoalkylation' arose in modern chemical nomenclature by attaching 'auto-' to 'alkylation' (itself formed from 'alkyl' + '-ation') as chemists described reactions in which a molecule is alkylated by its own alkyl group or by identical molecules; the compound term became established in 20th-century technical literature.
The term originally described the specific phenomenon of 'self' alkylation (alkyl transfer from the same species) and has kept that technical meaning in contemporary chemical usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an alkylation reaction in which an alkyl group is transferred from (or within) the same molecule or substrate — i.e., self-alkylation; can be intramolecular or involve identical molecules.
The catalyst promoted autoalkylation of the substrate, producing higher oligomers.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/23 15:52