1. Plural of carbonyl; chemical compounds or functional groups containing a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom (C=O).
Usage: chemistry; technical
2. Metal complexes in which carbon monoxide ligands are bonded to a metal center.
Usage: chemistry; inorganic chemistry

Examples

• Aldehydes and ketones are both types of carbonyls used in organic synthesis.
• The carbonyl group is one of the most important functional groups in chemistry.
• Metal carbonyls such as iron pentacarbonyl are widely studied in coordination chemistry.
• The carbonyl stretch appears as a strong absorption band in infrared spectroscopy.
• Carbonyls are found in many biological molecules, including sugars and proteins.