Dehalogenate

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To remove one or more halogen atoms from an organic compound by chemical reaction ; to release halogen elements from a molecule through catalytic or biochemical processes ; to transform halogenated substances by stripping halogen atoms to form less halogenated or non-halogenated compounds
2. The process of eliminating halogen atoms from chemical structures, often to detoxify pollutants or modify molecular properties ; the conversion of halogen-containing compounds into simpler forms by detaching halogen components ; a reaction pathway that cleaves halogen bonds in molecules, reducing the halogen content or changing reactivity
3. Chemically extracting halogen atoms from molecules to alter their properties or degrade harmful compounds ; enzymatically or chemically breaking bonds between halogen atoms and other atoms in a molecule ; a treatment or reaction removing halogens from organic compounds to produce less hazardous or more reactive substances

Etymology: "Dehalogenate" is a plain chemical coinage: the prefix "de-", meaning "removal of" or "reversal of", attached to "halogenate." The base word itself comes from "halogen," a term chemists built from Greek roots meaning "salt-former," since elements such as chlorine, bromine, and iodine readily combine with metals to form salts. To halogenate a compound is to introduce one of these elements into it, so dehalogenating it does the reverse, stripping the halogen back out. The prefix does most of the work here. Chemists use "de-" to name reactions that take something away, much as "decaffeinate" removes caffeine from coffee. A dehalogenation reaction therefore detaches a halogen atom from a molecule, often replacing it with hydrogen or another group, which can make a compound less toxic or easier to break down. This is why the term turns up in environmental chemistry, where persistent pollutants containing chlorine or bromine are treated this way.

Synonyms: detoxify, remove halogen

Antonyms: halogenate