Methyl Ethyl Butyl Futyl

Abstract: Eveyone who has spent more than a year in the field of organic chemistry has heard the refrain: methyl ethyl butyl futile. This joke underligns the point of diminishing returns which is reached when making analogues of the same molecule. Because of this joke, the versatile chemistry of the futyl group has been overshadowed. This review highlights some examples in the history and applications of the futyl group.