Butyl group
A butyl group is a piece of a chemical in organic chemistry. Butyl groups are a type of alkyl group. They are molecules of butane where a hydrogen atom has been removed to connect to a larger compound. The chemical formula of a butyl group is −C4H9, sometimes abbreviated Bu.
Isomers
[change | change source]There are four different structures of butyl groups, even though the formula is the same. These are called isomers. Two butyl isomers can be made from each butane isomer, depending on where a hydrogen atom is removed.
| Parent butane | Structure | Common name | IUPAC preferred name | Systematic names | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
n-butyl | butyl | butyl butan-1-yl |
Bu, nBu |
 |
sec-butyl | butan-2-yl | 1-methylpropyl butan-2-yl |
sBu | |
 |
 |
isobutyl | 2‑methylpropyl | 2-methylpropyl 2‑methylpropan‑1‑yl |
iBu |
 |
tert-butyl | tert-butyl | 1,1‑dimethylethyl 2‑methylpropan‑2‑yl |
tBu |
