Glycolyl

/ˈɡlɪkəlaɪl/ noun

Definition

A chemical group derived from glycol that contains a specific arrangement of atoms and can bond to other molecules.

Etymology

From glycol + -yl (a chemical suffix meaning 'univalent radical' from German Alkohol). The naming convention reflects 19th-century German chemistry traditions.

Kelly Says

The -yl suffix is chemistry's way of saying 'this particular chunk of atoms'—glycolyl groups are like LEGO blocks that chemists snap onto other molecules to create new compounds with specific properties.

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