Vinyl

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Chemical structure of the vinyl functional group.

A vinyl compound is any organic compound that contains a vinyl group (also called ethenyl), −CH=CH2. These are derivatives of ethylene, CH2=CH2, with one hydrogen atom substituted with some other group.

A related phrase is vinylidene which stands for the vinyl residue in an organic compound for instance in 1,1-dichloroethene.

The vinyl group forms part of the allyl group and is also contained in all acrylates. Many alkenes contain a vinyl group.

Because of the covalent bond, vinyls can be made to polymerize, forming vinyl polymers. In these polymers, the double bonds of the vinyl monomers turn into single bonds and the different monomers are joined by single bonds. This is an instance of addition polymerization. There are no vinyl groups in the resulting polymer. It is also important to ascertain the absence of unreacted vinyl monomer in the final product when the monomer is toxic or reduces the performance of the plastic.

[edit] Polymers

Main article: Vinyl polymer

[edit] Etymology

The etymology of vinyl is the Latin vinum = "wine", because of its relationship with alcohol (in its original sense of ethyl alcohol).


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