The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
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The allyl functional group is CH2=CHCH2 with a double bond being present between the first and second carbon atoms. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) name for the allyl group is the propenyl group. The name allyl comes from the scientific name for garlic, Allium. Garlic contains a number of allyl-containing molecules, notably allyl alcohol (CH2=CHCH2OH) and diallyl disulfide (CH2=CHCH2SSCH2 CH=2 (that gives garlic its characteristic odor).
One of the most important uses of allyls is in the manufacture of various plastics. After polymerisation using heat, light, radiation, or catalysis a range of strong thermosetting plastics can be produced. Compounds that are made from polymerization of the allyl functional group are used as plastics, adhesives, furniture finishes and they can also have flame retardant properties. Some possess such good resistance to chemical and abrasive attack that they are used for the manufacture of plastic eyeglass lenses.
The most important reactivity of this group is its ability to impart reactivity to the carbon of the allyl immediately adjacent to the alkene double bond. The biosynthesis of many important primary metabolites (such as cholesterol) proceed through intermediates that contain the allyl alcohol functional group. This allyl alcohol is activated by phosphorylation to give a reactive allyl cation that is used to build up more complex structures. Allyl halides, such as allyl bromide (CH2=CHCH2Br), are used extensively in organic synthesis for their ability to transfer easily the allyl group to nucleophilic atoms.