Vinyl group
The vinyl group, also called the ethenyl group, is a functional group in organic chemistry. It is a molecule of ethylene where one hydrogen atom has been connected to a larger molecule, and has the chemical formula CH2=CH−.[1] It is the simplest alkenyl group, or group with a double bond between carbon atoms.
Naming vinyl compounds
[change | change source]The vinyl group is not normally found in systematic names, but is used in the common names of many simple vinyl compounds. This is especially common with monomers used to make vinyl polymers, such as vinyl chloride (systematic name chloroethene).
Some compounds that include vinyl in their systematic name are vinyl esters (such as vinyl acetate) and cyclic compounds with vinyl substituents (such as styrene, systematically vinylbenzene). IUPAC prefers the use of "ethenyl" over "vinyl".[2]
Reactions
[change | change source]Vinyl groups have the usual chemistry of terminal alkenes. The most important reaction of vinyl compounds is polymerisation to make vinyl polymers.
Sources
[change | change source]- ↑ IUPAC, Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. (the "Gold Book") (2025). Online version: (2006–) "vinylic group". doi:10.1351/goldbook.V06622
- ↑ IUPAC Chemical Nomenclature and Structure Representation Division (2013). "P-32.3". In Favre, Henri A.; Powell, Warren H. (eds.). Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry: IUPAC Recommendations and Preferred Names 2013. IUPAC–RSC. ISBN 978-0-85404-182-4.