verb
- to introduce an ethyl group into (a molecule or compound), typically in a chemical reaction
Usage: chemistry; technical
Examples
- The chemist ethylates the alcohol to produce the desired ester.
- In the laboratory, they ethylate the compound using ethyl iodide as the reagent.
- The reaction ethylates the nitrogen atom, changing the molecule's properties.
- Researchers ethylate the substrate to improve its solubility in organic solvents.