An amyl alcohol is any of 8 alcohols with the formula C₅H₁₁OH. A mixture of amyl alcohols (also called amyl alcohol) can be obtained from fusel alcohol

Fusel alcohol

Fusel alcohols, also sometimes called fusel oils, or potato oil in Europe, are higher-order alcohols formed by fermentation and present in cider, mead, beer, wine, and spirits to varying degrees....

. Amyl alcohol is used as a solvent and in esterfication for example in the production of amyl acetate

Amyl acetate

Amyl acetate is an organic compound and an ester with the chemical formula CH3COO[CH2]4CH3 and the molecular weight 130.19 g/mol. It has a scent similar to bananas and apples which is not detectable by all people. The compound is the condensation product of acetic acid and 1-pentanol...

. Amyl alcohol as a distinct chemical compound refers to 1-pentanol

1-Pentanol

1-Pentanol, , is an alcohol with five carbon atoms and the molecular formula C5H12O. 1-Pentanol is a colorless liquid with an unpleasant aroma. There are 8 alcohols with this molecular formula . The ester formed from butanoic acid and 1-pentanol, pentyl butyrate, smells like apricot...

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Eight structural isomers with molecular formula C₅H₁₂O and all alcohols are known:


Three of these alcohols, active amyl alcohol, methyl (n) propyl carbinol, and methyl isopropyl carbinol, are optically active, as they contain an asymmetric carbon atom.

The most important is isobutyl carbinol, this being the chief constituent of fermentation amyl alcohol, and consequently a constituent of fusel oil.