a reaction between two identical molecules in which one is reduced and the other oxidized
disproportionation in American English
(ˌdɪsprəˌpɔrʃəˈneiʃən, -ˌpour-)
noun
Chemistry
the simultaneous oxidation and reduction of a substance reacting with itself, thereby forming two dissimilar molecules, as 2C2H4⟶C2H6+C2H2
Word origin
[1925–30; disproportion + -ation]This word is first recorded in the period 1925–30. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: buildup, distinctive feature, dropout, hot spot, recycle-ation is used to form nouns from stems ending in -ate (separation) and, on this model, to form nouns from stems of other origin (starvation). Other words that use the affix -ation include: concentration, neutralization, plantation, polymerization, sensitization
Examples of 'disproportionation' in a sentence
disproportionation
The prepared catalyst displayed excellent activity in disproportionation of gum rosin.
Ramin Mostafalu, Akbar Heydari, Marzban Arefi, Maryam Kazemi, Abbas Banaei, FatemehGhorbani 2017, 'A facial, scalable, and green synthesis of superparamagnetic palladium–carbon catalystand its use in disproportionation of gum rosin', Journal of Nanostructure in Chemistryhttp://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40097-017-0230-9. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
The effect of base supports on the disproportionation reaction during the oxidationprocess was investigated.
Hamed Alshammari, Mosaed Alhumaimess, Mohammad Hayal Alotaibi, Abdullah S. Alshammari 2017, 'Catalytic activity of bimetallic AuPd alloys supported MgO and MnO2 nanostructuresand their role in selective aerobic oxidation of alcohols', Journal of King Saud University: Sciencehttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1018364717300745. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
The intermediates include elemental sulfur, polysulfides, thiosulfate, and sulfite, which are all substrates for further microbial oxidation, reduction or disproportionation.
Bo Barker Jørgensen, Alyssa J. Findlay, André Pellerin 2019, 'The Biogeochemical Sulfur Cycle of Marine Sediments', Frontiers in Microbiologyhttps://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00849/full. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
Electroless deposition can be subcategorized into galvanic displacement reaction, disproportionation reaction, and deposition in presence of reducing agents.
Abhishek Lahiri, Giridhar Pulletikurthi, Frank Endres 2019, 'A Review on the Electroless Deposition of Functional Materials in Ionic Liquids forBatteries and Catalysis', Frontiers in Chemistryhttps://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fchem.2019.00085/full. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
Both species could be cultivated axenically on acetaldehyde, yielding energy from its disproportionation to ethanol and acetate.
Alexander Schmidt, Marco Frensch, David Schleheck, Bernhard Schink, Nicolai Müller 2014, 'Degradation of acetaldehyde and its precursors by Pelobacter carbinolicus and P. acetylenicus.',PLoS ONEhttp://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4275255?pdf=render. Retrieved from PLOS CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
Herein, we disclose a hypothesis to explain this “thalidomide paradox” through the in-vivo self-disproportionation of enantiomers.
Etsuko Tokunaga, Takeshi Yamamoto, Emi Ito, Norio Shibata 2018, 'Understanding the Thalidomide Chirality in Biological Processes by the Self-disproportionationof Enantiomers', Scientific Reportshttp://link.springer.com/article/10.1038/s41598-018-35457-6. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)