Acid catalysis

<p>In acid catalysis and base catalysis, a <a href="/facts/Chemical_reaction/GpqWlKrz">chemical reaction</a> is <a href="/facts/Catalysis/LPBS7TQC">catalyzed</a> by an <a href="/facts/Acid/FySU18n1">acid</a> or a <a href="/facts/Base_(chemistry)/M9wA7qeM">base</a>. By <a href="/facts/Br%C3%B8nsted%E2%80%93Lowry_acid%E2%80%93base_theory/bqxQnJoX">Brønsted–Lowry acid–base theory</a>, the acid is the proton (<a href="/facts/Hydrogen_ion/6UbSyoz4">hydrogen ion</a>, H+) donor and the base is the proton acceptor. Typical reactions catalyzed by proton transfer are <a href="/facts/Esterification/FoUAIIw4">esterifications</a> and <a href="/facts/Aldol_reaction/L194Bx0g">aldol reactions</a>. In these reactions, the <a href="/facts/Conjugate_acid/hohgQ07M">conjugate acid</a> of the <a href="/facts/Carbonyl/KJ71bo3X">carbonyl</a> group is a better <a href="/facts/Electrophile/1AHFg1zm">electrophile</a> than the neutral carbonyl group itself. Depending on the chemical species that act as the acid or base, catalytic mechanisms can be classified as either specific catalysis and general catalysis. Many <a href="/facts/Enzyme/DSI1Fh7y">enzymes</a> operate by general catalysis.
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Acid catalysis open-in-new

Acid catalysis