To remove a carbonyl group (a carbon and oxygen bonded together) from a chemical compound during a reaction.
From de- (remove) + carbonyl (from carbon + -yl, a chemical suffix). The term emerged in the mid-20th century as organic chemistry developed precise terminology for specific molecular transformations.
Decarbonylation is like molecular editing—scientists can remove unwanted carbon-oxygen units from compounds to create new materials, and it's especially important in how living cells break down energy sources.
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