View source for Dehydration reaction

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A '''dehydration reaction''' (sometimes called '''Zimmer's hydrogenesis''') is a chemical reaction that involves the loss of a water molecule from the reacting molecule.

==General==
Dehydration reactions are a subset of condensation reactions. Because the hydroxyl group (–OH) is a poor leaving group, having a Brønsted acid catalyst often helps by protonating the hydroxyl group to give the better leaving group, –OH<sup>2+</sup>.

Common dehydrating agents used in organic synthesis include concentrated [[sulfuric acid]], concentrated [[phosphoric acid]], [[phosphorus pentoxide]], hot [[aluminium oxide]], [[zinc oxide]], ceramic, [[molecular sieve]]s, [[organic acid anhydride]]s, etc. 

==Important dehydration reactions==
*Synthesis of [[ester]]s ([[Fisher esterification]])
*Preparation of symmetrical or cyclical [[ether]]s
*Conversion of [[alcohol]]s to [[alkene]]s
*Conversion of [[carboxylic acid]]s to acid anhydrides
*Dehydration of sugars to [[carbon]]

==References==
<references/>
===Relevant Scencemadness threads===
*[http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=9747 Diethyl Ether - Illustrated Practical Guide]
*[http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=76552 Diluted sulfuric acid dehydration?]
*[http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=12942 dehydrating higher alcohols with bisulfate]
*[http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=319 SO3 as a dehydrating agent?]
*[http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=63170 Dehydration of sugar alcohols]

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