What is "allyl alcohol"

n. (context organic compound English) The unsaturated aliphatic alcohol CH₂=CH-CH₂-OH

n. an unsaturated primary alcohol present in wood spirit; use to make resins and plasticizers and pharmaceuticals [syn: propenyl alcohol]

Allyl alcohol ( IUPAC name: 3-propenol) is an organic compound with the structural formula CH=CHCHOH. Like many alcohols, it is a water-soluble, colourless liquid, but it is more toxic than typical small alcohols. Allyl alcohol is used as a raw material for the production of glycerol, but is also used as a precursor to many specialized compounds such as flame-resistant materials, drying oils, and plasticizers. Today allyl alcohol can be obtained by many methods. Allyl alcohol is the smallest representative of the allylic alcohols.