Dictionary:

methylene

  (mĕth'ə-lēn')

A bivalent hydrocarbon radical, CH₂^-, a component of unsaturated hydrocarbons.

[French méthylène : Greek methu, wine + Greek hūlē, wood, substance.]

A bivalent hydrocarbon radical, CH₂, that is a component of unsaturated hydrocarbons and is derived from methane by the removal of two hydrogen atoms.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: the bivalent radical CH2 derived from methane
  Synonyms: methylene group, methylene radical

Dichloromethane

Methylenecyclopropene

Carbene

In chemistry, methylene is a divalent functional group CH₂ derived formally from methane. The name "methylene" is used for the following:

• −CH₂− group (bound by two single bonds) present e.g. in dichloromethane (alternative name is methylene chloride).
• =CH₂ group (bound by one double bond), present e.g. in methylenecyclopropene.
•  :CH₂ is a carbene known as methylene, carbenes are highly reactive organic molecules with a divalent carbon atom with only six valence electrons.

Increasing the number of methylene groups in a chain or ring increases the size and lipophilicity of the compound.

See also

• Methyl
• Methylidyne

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