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Glite Dictionary
to decarboxylate

to decarboxylate

9.9
To remove a carboxyl group from a chemical compound, often releasing carbon dioxide
  • verb
  • /ˌdiːkɑːrˈbɒksɪleɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : descarboxilar
  • During the experiment, the team observed how the acid would decarboxylate when heated.

Examples

  • Well, the first thing is, is that we have to decarboxylate this molecule.

  • Now once the pyruvate decarboxylates, then it's going to be the carbonyl of acetyl COA.

  • In order to activate the compound for further reactions, we must decarboxylate it first.

  • The chemist explained that to synthesize the product correctly, we need to decarboxylate the original substance.

Surface Forms

decarboxylate infinitive
decarboxylated past
decarboxylated past participle
decarboxylating present participle
decarboxylates third person singular

Morphology

decarboxylate = carboxylate (transparent) = de + carboxyl + ate

In chemical terminology, adding 'de-' to 'carboxylate' straightforwardly gives the meaning 'remove a carboxyl group from'.

Etymology

The word decarboxylate breaks into de- ('remove') and carboxyl (a small 'acid' part that has carbon and oxygen). So, to decarboxylate a compound is to take off its 'carboxyl' part, often causing it to release 'carbon dioxide'.