MethylX
🇮🇳 My name is Julia
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2026
- Messages
- 177
Formula for methyl is -CH3
Basically "Methyl" is an alkyl.
Alkyls are pieces of alkanes, which means that they are not stand-alone molecules (because they are radicals and are highly reactive).
This is why the dash in "-CH3" is very important, as it means that this molecule is a piece connected to something else.
A typical alkane would be CH4 (aka methane) which means that its totally saturated (holds the maximum amount of hydrogen atoms it can)
A methyl on its own can't be saturated and is considered a radical (assuming its only CH3).
But that's why its formula is "-CH3" instead. An ethane actually contains two methyl molecules. Ethane is C2H6, which means its CH3--CH3.
Usually the full formula of methyl looks like this
H
I
R - C - H
I
H
So I just removed the R and replaced it with X
Which is
H
I
X - C - H
I
H
MethylX
Basically "Methyl" is an alkyl.
Alkyls are pieces of alkanes, which means that they are not stand-alone molecules (because they are radicals and are highly reactive).
This is why the dash in "-CH3" is very important, as it means that this molecule is a piece connected to something else.
A typical alkane would be CH4 (aka methane) which means that its totally saturated (holds the maximum amount of hydrogen atoms it can)
A methyl on its own can't be saturated and is considered a radical (assuming its only CH3).
But that's why its formula is "-CH3" instead. An ethane actually contains two methyl molecules. Ethane is C2H6, which means its CH3--CH3.
Usually the full formula of methyl looks like this
H
I
R - C - H
I
H
So I just removed the R and replaced it with X
Which is
H
I
X - C - H
I
H
MethylX