Amyl alcohol

Amyl alcohols are alcohols with the formula C₅H₁₁OH. Eight are known. 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 products. The name amyl alcohol without further specification applies to the normal (straight-chain) form, 1-pentanol.

**Amyl alcohol isomers**
Common name	Type	IUPAC name	Boiling point (°C)
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), contain stereocenters, and are therefore chiral and 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.