Dehydration Synthesis - Definition, Reaction, Examples & Hydrolysis (2024)

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Definition Reaction Examples

Dehydration synthesis is a reaction where two smaller molecules are joined chemically by removing elements from each of these molecules. On the basis of the structure of hydrocarbons, organic compounds can be further classified as aliphatic and aromatic compounds. Organic compounds can give different kinds of chemical reactions which involve the formation of new compounds with the change in bonding between atoms.

Some chemical reactions form a resultant molecule whereas some simply show displacement or substitution of atoms. Synthesis or combination reactions involve a combination of two substances to form one molecule. For example, a combination of Mg and O₂ forms MgO (magnesium oxide).

Unlike synthesis reactions, decomposition reactions can be defined as a reaction in which one substance decomposes to more than one substance like decomposition of the water molecule to H₂ and O₂. Another type of reaction is displacement reactions which can be single or double displacement. They involve displacement of one or more parts of compounds with each other. Some common organic reactions are addition, substitution, rearrangement, elimination and oxidation-reduction reactions.

Define Dehydration Synthesis

“Dehydration reactions can be defined as the chemical reactions in which a water molecule is eliminated from the reactant molecule. The process of combination of two molecules with the elimination of water molecules is called dehydration synthesis.”

This is because the term dehydration is used for ‘losing water’ and synthesis represents the formation of the new substance, therefore, dehydration synthesis is the elimination of water with the formation of new compounds. Definitely a combination of two molecules will form a large compound and water molecules will eliminate and form as a by-product during the reaction.

Dehydration Synthesis Reaction

Dehydration synthesis can be defined as the synthesis reactions which involve the formation of a new compound with the elimination of water molecules.
Since these reactions result in the formation of a new compound with a large structure, therefore, they are called synthesis reactions.
Here in dehydration synthesis reactions, since water molecules eliminate during the reaction, therefore, they are also a type of condensation reaction.
This is because during the condensation reaction two molecules condense to form a large molecule with loss of water molecule.

What is Substitution Reaction?

Substitution reactions are the most common reactions of alkanes, haloalkanes and other organic compounds. These reactions involve the substitution of one of the atoms of the molecule as leaving the group in the presence of either nucleophile or electrophile.

Unlike substitution reactions, elimination reactions involve the elimination of some atoms in the form of good leaving groups such as water, halogen etc. For example; the elimination of water molecules from alcohol forms alkene. It is an example of a dehydration reaction.

Similarly, the elimination of hydrogen molecules forms unsaturated compounds and is called a dehydrogenation reaction. Rearrangement reactions do not eliminate or add any atom but only rearrange the molecule to form a new one. Additional reactions involve the addition of some atoms over multiple chemical bonds.

Examples of Dehydration Synthesis Reaction

1. Biochemical reactions are one of the best examples of dehydration synthesis reactions. Amino acids are building blocks of proteins as they polymerize to form peptides and polypeptides. Amino acids have two functional groups; amino -NH₂ and carboxylic group (-COOH). They react to form an amide linkage (-CO-NH-) with the elimination of water molecules.

Hence, peptide formation is an example of a dehydration synthesis reaction.

What happens in a Dehydration Synthesis Reaction?

Dehydration synthesis reactions are combination or synthesis reactions which occur between the same or different monomer units with the elimination of water molecules. It is a kind of condensation reaction in which water molecules are eliminated with the addition of two molecules.

Since each step occurs with the elimination of water molecules, therefore the reaction is called a dehydration reaction and it results in the formation of a new substance so it is named as a dehydration synthesis reaction.

Many biochemical reactions occur through dehydration synthesis mechanisms. For example formation of the peptide from amino acids is a dehydration synthesis reaction. It is a peptide bond formation reaction which occurs between two amino acid molecules.

The amino group of one molecule and carboxyl group of another molecule condenses with the elimination of water molecules and form an amide linkage in dipeptide.

Dehydration Synthesis and Hydrolysis

Dehydration synthesis involves the formation of new chemical bonds between two molecules which leads to the formation of new compounds.

A reaction occurs with the loss of water molecules at each step.
The loss of water molecules can occur due to reactions between two functional groups like –OH, -NH₂ or –COOH. It is also called a condensation reaction.
Polymerization reactions are good examples of dehydration synthesis reactions in which monomer units condense together to form polymers.
Formation of disaccharides from monosaccharides in carbohydrates, the formation of lipids with one glycerol and three molecules of fatty acids are examples of dehydration synthesis.
Similarly, the formation of nucleic acid from nucleotides is also an example of dehydration synthesis.
Hydrolysis can be considered as the reverse reaction of a dehydration synthesis reaction. It involves the addition of water molecules with cleavage of bonds to form more than one substance from one substance.
In other words, hydrolysis is a chemical reaction which splits a molecule into smaller units by the addition of water molecules.
For example hydrolysis of polymers results in the formation of monomer units as it splits the connections between monomer units.
For example hydrolysis of disaccharide forms monosaccharide units. Similarly, the hydrolysis of lipids leads to the formation of glycerol and fatty acids.