1. Overview of alkylation

1.1 Definition of alkylation

Alkylation is the attachment of one or more aliphatic, i.e. saturated (alkyl) radicals to a molecule or atom.

In the simplest case, this binding is the consequence of the addition reaction of an alkene to a saturated hydrocarbon: in the case of the reaction of ethylene with benzene, ethyl-benzene is formed, followed by di-, tri- and even hexaethylbenzenes.

In this reaction, the alkene can be replaced by an organic compound capable of releasing an alkyl radical into the reaction medium: an alcohol, an alkyl halide, an ester, an ether, an alkane, etc.