Methyl group

In organic chemistry, a methyl group is an alkyl derived from methane, containing one carbon atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms, having chemical formula CH₃ (whereas normal methane has the formula CH₄). In formulas, the group is often abbreviated as Me. This hydrocarbon group occurs in many organic compounds. It is a very stable group in most molecules. While the methyl group is usually part of a larger molecule, bounded to the rest of the molecule by a single covalent bond (−CH₃), it can be found on its own in any of three forms: methanide anion (CH−3), methylium cation (CH+3) or methyl radical (CH^•
₃). The anion has eight valence electrons, the radical seven and the cation six. All three forms are highly reactive and rarely observed.^[1]