| elimination reaction | |
noun | |
| a chemical reaction in which a molecule decomposes to two different molecules |
elimination reaction
any of a class of organic chemical reactions in which a pair of atoms or groups of atoms are removed from a molecule, usually through the action of acids, bases, or metals and, in some cases, by heating to a high temperature. It is the principal process by which organic compounds containing only single carbon-carbon bonds (saturated compounds) are transformed to compounds containing double or triple carbon-carbon bonds (unsaturated compounds).
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