In chemistry, dehydrogenation is a chemical reaction that involves the removal of hydrogen, usually from an organic molecule. It is the reverse of hydrogenation. Dehydrogenation is important, both as a useful reaction and a serious problem. At its simplest, it's a useful way of converting alkanes, which are relatively inert and thus low-valued, to olefins, which are reactive and thus more valuable. Alkenes are precursors to aldehydes (R−CH=O), alcohols (R−OH), polymers, and aromatics.[1] As a problematic reaction, the fouling and inactivation of many catalysts arises via coking, which is the dehydrogenative polymerization of organic substrates.[2]
Enzymes that catalyze dehydrogenation are called dehydrogenases.
In metal manufacturing and repairs, dehydrogenation is a thermal treatment which consists in removing the hydrogen absorbed by an object during an electrochemical or chemical process, performed in a specific oven at a temperature of 180–200 °C (360–390 °F) for a minimum time of 2 hours.[citation needed]