3.6 Aryl Groups

The benzene ring is a very common structural component in molecules. In the same way that alkanes have corresponding alkyl groups, benzene and its derivatives have corresponding aryl groups. (In section V I'll explain the origin of the name "aryl".)

The simplest aryl group is the phenyl group, C₆H₅-. It forms compounds like phenol C₆H₅OH, aniline C₆H₅NH₂, toluene C₆H₅CH₃, phenyl chloride C₆H₅Cl, and so on.

Aryl groups can be substituted just like benzene can. In section IV we will see more complex examples of aryl groups.

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