Amyl alcohols are
alcohols
In chemistry, an alcohol (), is a type of organic compound that carries at least one hydroxyl () functional group bound to a Saturated and unsaturated compounds, saturated carbon atom. Alcohols range from the simple, like methanol and ethanol ...
with the formula C
5H
11OH. Eight are known. A mixture of
amyl alcohols (also called amyl alcohol) can be obtained from
fusel alcohol. Amyl alcohol is used as a solvent and in
esterification
In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an acid (either organic or inorganic) in which the hydrogen atom (H) of at least one acidic hydroxyl group () of that acid is replaced by an organyl group (R). These compounds contain a distin ...
, by which is produced
amyl acetate and other products. The name ''amyl alcohol'' without further specification applies to the normal (straight-chain) form,
1-pentanol.
:
Three of these alcohols, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 2-pentanol, and 3-methyl-2-butanol (methyl isopropyl carbinol), contain stereocenters, and are therefore chiral and
optically active.
The most important amyl alcohol is
isoamyl alcohol, the chief one generated by fermentation in the production of alcoholic beverages and a constituent of
fusel oil. The other amyl alcohols may be obtained synthetically.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Amyl Alcohol
Alkanols
GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulators