Aryl 

This article is about the aryl organic functional group. For the biological gene, see Aryl hydrocarbon receptor. For the fleshy covering of certain seeds, see aril.

In the context of organic molecules, aryl refers to any functional group or substituent derived from a simple aromatic ring, may it be phenyl, thiophenyl, indolyl, etc (see IUPAC nomenclature). "Aryl" is used for the sake of abbreviation or generalization.

A simple aryl group is phenyl, C6H5; it is derived from benzene. The tolyl group, CH3C6H4, is derived from toluene (methylbenzene). The xylyl group, (CH3)2C6H3, is derived from xylene (dimethylbenzene).

A few different types of benzene derived aryl groups. From left to right: phenyl, benzyl, tolyl, o-xylyl.

Biaryls may display axial chirality.

See also

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