User:Gretashum/Condensation reaction
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In organic chemistry, a condensation reaction is a type of chemical reaction in which two molecules are combined to form a single molecule, usually with the loss of a small molecule such as water or alcohol.[1] If water is lost, the reaction is also known as a dehydration synthesis. However other molecules can also be lost, such as ammonia, ethanol, acetic acid and hydrogen sulfide.[2] This class of reactions is a vital part of life as it is essential to the formation of peptide bonds between amino acids and to the biosynthesis of fatty acids.[3] Since these reactions would also have been critical for the initial formation of prebiotic molecules, identifying environments in which these reactions can occur can provide a useful constraint when considering possible settings for the origin of life on Earth.