Amyl alcohol

An amyl alcohol is any of eight alcohols with the formula C₅H₁₂O.[1] A mixture of amyl alcohols (also called amyl alcohol) can be obtained from fusel alcohol. Amyl alcohol is used as a solvent and in esterification, by which is produced amyl acetate and other important products. The name amyl alcohol without further specification applies to the normal (straight-chain) form, 1-pentanol.[2]

These are the 8 alcohols that are structural isomers with molecular formula C₅H₁₂O:

Amyl alcohol isomers

Common name	Structure	Type	IUPAC name	Boiling point (°C)[3]
1-pentanol or normal amyl alcohol		primary	Pentan-1-ol	138.5
2-methyl-1-butanol or active amyl alcohol		primary	2-Methylbutan-1-ol	128.7
3-methyl-1-butanol or isoamyl alcohol or isopentyl alcohol		primary	3-Methylbutan-1-ol	131.2
2,2-dimethyl-1-propanol or neopentyl alcohol		primary	2,2-Dimethylpropan-1-ol	113.1
2-pentanol or sec-amyl alcohol or methyl (n) propyl carbinol		secondary	Pentan-2-ol	118.8
3-methyl-2-butanol or sec-isoamyl alcohol or methyl isopropyl carbinol		secondary	3-Methylbutan-2-ol	113.6
3-Pentanol		secondary	Pentan-3-ol	115.3
2-methyl-2-butanol or tert-amyl alcohol		tertiary	2-Methylbutan-2-ol	102

Three of these alcohols, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 2-pentanol, and 3-methyl-2-butanol (methyl isopropyl carbinol), are therefore optically active.

The most important amyl alcohol is isoamyl alcohol, the chief one generated by fermentation in the production of alcoholic beverages and a constituent of fusel oil. The other amyl alcohols may be obtained synthetically.