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Alkylation introduces an alkyl group into a molecule. The new group may attach to carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, or another suitable atom; the name alone does not specify the mechanism.

For example, an alkoxide can react with a suitable alkyl halide to form an ether by nucleophilic substitution, while Friedel-Crafts alkylation attaches an alkyl group to an aromatic ring through an electrophilic pathway. Competing elimination, multiple substitution, or rearrangement depends on the particular reacting partners.

An alkyl group is a monovalent group obtained formally by removing one hydrogen atom from an acyclic saturated hydrocarbon. The general composition is ${\mathrm{C}}_{\mathrm{n}}{\mathrm{H}}_{2n+1}$: examples include $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_3-$ and $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_3\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_2-$. The dash denotes an attachment chemical bond, rather than necessarily an unpaired electron.^[ref]

“Alkyl” specifies a structural fragment. The corresponding free radical, carbocation and carbanion have different electronic states and reactivities. Branched alkyl groups can also share an elemental formula while giving different connectivity and steric environments around the attachment site.

Hiroko Koyama coauthored research on alkylation.^[ref]

Alkylation introduces an alkyl group into a molecule. The new group may attach to carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, or another suitable atom; the name alone does not specify the mechanism.

Masaaki Suzuki coauthored research on alkylation.^[ref]

Alkylation introduces an alkyl group into a molecule. The new group may attach to carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, or another suitable atom; the name alone does not specify the mechanism.