allyl

An allyl' group is a substituent with the structural formula H₂C=CH-CH₂R, where R is the rest of the molecule. It consists of a methylene bridge (-CH₂-) attached to a vinyl group (-CH=CH₂). The name is derived from the Latin word for garlic, Allium sativum. In 1844, Theodor Wertheim isolated an allyl derivative from garlic oil and named it "Schwefelallyl". The term allyl applies to many compounds related to H₂C=CH-CH₂, some of which are of practical or of everyday importance for example allyl chloride.