Allyl vs. Vinyl

Main Difference

Organic Chemistry is the branch of chemistry, which mainly deals with the substances constituting up of carbon compounds. To get a better understanding of these molecules and compounds, they are classified into different functional groups on the basis of atoms and bonding in between them. These functional groups are held responsible for their different characteristics. Allyl and Vinyl are the two different organic functional groups that hold differentiable characteristic and features. At the same time both these functional groups also share some similarities like both of them hold double bond between carbon atoms, whereas the other atoms are bonded through single bond. The general molecular formula for Allyl is RCH₂CH=CH₂ , whereas the general molecular formula for Vinyl is RCH=CH₂. Keeping eye on the structural difference of these functional groups we can easily differentiate it between them as Allyl group holds three carbon atoms and five hydrogen atoms, on the other hand, Vinyl group has two carbon atoms and three hydrogen atoms. -R in this case is any other group of atoms.

Difference Between Allyl and Vinyl

Comparison Chart

What is Allyl ?

It is one of the functional groups in organic chemistry, which has the general molecular formula RCH₂CH=CH_2. Allyl group holds three carbon atoms and five hydrogen atoms, which gets attached to any other group of atoms through –CH₂ group. Allyl group consists of (-CH₂-) methylene bridge and is attached with (-CH=CH₂) vinyl group. An Allyl derivative was first found within the garlic oil by Theodor Wertheim in 1844, he named it ‘Schwefelallyl’. It would be kept mentioned that ‘Allyl’ is the Latin word that is used for the garlic (Allium Sativum). Allyl form a stable carbocation because of the electron delocalization, whereas Vinylic carbocations are unstable as they lack p-character. Allyl have two sp² hybridized carbon atoms and one sp³ hybridized carbon atom. In easy words, we can call allyl group a merger of methylene bridge and vinyl group as (-CH₂-) methylene bridge is attached with (-CH=CH₂) vinyl group and the rest of the molecule to form allyl group. Allylc compounds are diverse and are used in many industries, example: allyl chloride is converted into epichlorohydrin and is utilized for the formation of different plastics.

What is Vinyl?

It is one of the functional groups in organic chemistry, which has the general molecular formula RCH=CH_2. It has two carbon atoms and three hydrogen atoms, which are directly attached to R-, which is any other group of atoms in this case. Vinyl group is also known as the ethenyl (-CH=CH₂) and with removing one of the hydrogen atom in the ethylene molecule (CH₂=CH₂), it can be formed. The Vinyl compounds are every reactive, and they polymerize to form the vinyl polymers as in the case of polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride and polyvinyl fluoride. Vinyl contains two sp² hybridized carbon atoms and three hydrogen atoms. Vinylic carbocations are unstable as compare to the allyl carbocations as they lack p-character. Vinyl are widely used in different industries, most prominently they are used in making plastic films, textile finishing and also produces vinyl polymers such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) and polyvinyl acetate (PVAc).