What is 'alkylation' 🧑‍🔧

In this article, I'd like to explain "What is 'alkylation'". Let's characterize it and answer some popular questions.

Did you know the short answer is…

A refinery process for chemically combining isoparaffin with olefin Hydrocarbons.

Alkylation is the transfer of an alkyl group from one molecule to another.

The alkyl group may be transferred as an alkyl carbocation, a free radical, a carbanion, or a carbene.

Alkylation is the process used to produce high-octane gasoline, blending stock from isobutene, which is formed largely during catalytic cracking and coking operations, and to a lesser extent from catalytic reforming, crude distillation, and natural gas processing.

The process involves joining an olefin and an isoparaffin compound, using either sulfuric acid or a hydrofluoric acid catalyst system.

I have selected a few questions and answers to help you understand it:

Alkylation

What is C-alkylation...

C-alkylation is a process for the formation of carbon-carbon bonds. For alkylation at carbon, the electrophilicity of alkyl halides is enhanced by the presence of a Lewis acid such as aluminium trichloride. Lewis acids are particularly suited for C-alkylation. C-alkylation can also be effected by alkenes in the presence of acids.

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Note to self: Article outline OK.