Dehydrogenates

Dehydrogenates is the third-person singular present tense of the verb dehydrogenate. In chemistry, to dehydrogenate means to remove hydrogen atoms from a molecule, typically producing a more unsaturated product and molecular hydrogen (H2) as a byproduct. The term is commonly used to describe a reaction step or the action of a catalyst rather than to name a specific compound.

Dehydrogenation can occur through several modes, including thermal, catalytic, or electrochemical pathways. Substrates range from simple hydrocarbons such as alkanes and cycloalkanes to alcohols and amines. Depending on the substrate and conditions, dehydrogenation yields alkenes, arenes, aldehydes or ketones, and sometimes imines or other unsaturated derivatives. In many cases the reaction is accompanied by the evolution or consumption of hydrogen gas.

Industrial relevance is substantial. Catalytic dehydrogenation is used to convert light alkanes into alkenes (for example, ethane to ethene) and to upgrade the performance of reforming and refinery processes. Traditional catalysts employ transition metals such as platinum, palladium, nickel, or copper, often supported on specialized materials to optimize activity and selectivity. Reaction conditions, including temperature, pressure, and the presence of oxidants or hydrogen acceptors, influence the rate and outcome of dehydrogenation.

In laboratory settings, dehydrogenation serves as a method to synthesize unsaturated compounds and to study reaction mechanisms. The opposite process is hydrogenation, which adds hydrogen back to a substrate. The term dehydrogenates is therefore most often encountered as a verb form rather than as a standalone noun.