Hydroxiliert

Hydroxiliert is a German term used in chemistry and biochemistry to describe a molecule that has been hydroxylated—i.e., has one or more hydroxyl (-OH) groups added to it. Hydroxylation is a type of oxidation that introduces polar functional groups into organic substrates, influencing properties such as solubility, polarity, and reactivity.

There are two broad categories of hydroxylation. Enzymatic hydroxylation is common in living organisms and is often performed by monooxygenases such as cytochrome P450 enzymes. In these reactions, one atom of molecular oxygen is incorporated into the substrate as an -OH group, while the other is reduced to water. Non-enzymatic or chemical hydroxylation can occur via radical processes or metal-catalyzed oxidations, sometimes using hydroxyl radicals or high-valent metal-oxo species.

In biology and pharmacology, hydroxylation is a major pathway in the metabolism (biotransformation) of xenobiotics and endogenous compounds. It generally increases polarity and water solubility, promoting excretion, but can also alter biological activity. In biochemistry and natural product chemistry, hydroxylation expands the diversity of secondary metabolites and can be a key step in biosynthesis.

Applications include drug development, where hydroxylated derivatives may serve as metabolites, prodrugs, or lead compounds, and industrial chemistry, where controlled hydroxylation enables the synthesis of alcohols and polyols. The term "hydroxiliert" thus designates molecules that bear added hydroxyl groups as a result of such oxidation processes.