deformylated

Deformylated is a term used in chemistry and biochemistry to describe a molecule that has had a formyl group removed. A formyl group is an aldehyde functional group, specifically a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom and single-bonded to a hydrogen atom. Its chemical formula is -CHO. The removal of this group is known as deformylation.

This process can occur through various chemical or enzymatic reactions. In organic chemistry, deformylation can be achieved using reagents that cleave the carbon-formyl bond. For example, strong acids or bases can sometimes promote deformylation under specific conditions. Reductive deformylation is another method, where the formyl group is removed by reduction.

In biological systems, deformylation is often catalyzed by enzymes. For instance, certain enzymes involved in metabolism or detoxification pathways may remove formyl groups from substrates. This can be important for altering the chemical properties of a molecule, preparing it for further reactions, or inactivating it. The resulting molecule after deformylation will no longer possess the -CHO functional group. The opposite of deformylation is formylation, the addition of a formyl group to a molecule.