Amyl is a linguistic root word derived from the Latin amylum, from Greek αμυλον, meaning starch. It has two distinct but related meanings, in organic chemistry and biochemistry.
Biochemistry
In biochemistry, amyl means "pertaining to starch". Many moderately complex biological chemicals related to starch contain the root, for example:
Note that in this usage, it is a part of the word, and becomes "amylo" when preceding a consonant.
Chemistry
In organic chemistry, amyl is the old trivial name for the radical called pentyl under the IUPAC nomenclature: that is, -C5H11. This usage may derive from the presence of amyl alcohol in fusel oil, itself often fermented from starches. In this usage, amyl (normally) remains a separate word and it does not become "amylo" before a consonant.
Several important amyl/pentyl compounds are still widely known by their older, amyl names, including:
There are eight possible isomers of amyl; see under pentyl for more information. Frequently chemicals sold commercially as amyl compounds will be a mixture of several isomers.
Slang
Amyl is also a slang term for amyl nitrite when used as a recreational drug.
See also