A chemical group consisting of a benzene ring bonded to a carbon atom with a double-bonded oxygen (C6H5-CO-), widely used in organic synthesis and pharmaceuticals.
From 'benzo-' (benzene) + '-yl' (a suffix denoting a chemical group or radical). Named in the early 19th century by German chemist Friedrich Wöhler and Joseph Gay-Lussac when they identified this functional group.
Benzoyl is perhaps the most important building block in pharmaceutical chemistry—it appears in antibiotics like benzoyl peroxide (which treats acne), in pain relievers, and in dozens of other medicines because the benzene ring with a carbonyl group is like a molecular hook that lets chemists attach other useful pieces.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.