Alkylation - Biotechnology Definitions (A)

Alkylation is the introduction by substitution, adition or transfer of an alkyl group from into an organic compound. The alkyl group may be transferred as an alkyl carbocation, a free radical, a carbanion or a carbene (or their equivalents). Alkylating agents are various substances that contain an alkyl radical that can replace a hydrogen atom in an organic compound. Alylating agents are widely used in chemistry because the alkyl group is probably the most common group encountered in organic molecules. Alkylation is used to prevent refolding of already reduced proteins during peptide mapping.