An elimination reaction results in the formation of what?

• A. A saturated molecule
• B. An unsaturated molecule
• C. A radical
• D. A halogenated product

Answer: (B)

Elimination reactions create a multiple bond by removing atoms from adjacent carbon atoms. Typically, a proton is removed from one carbon while a leaving group departs from the neighboring carbon, and these two removals form a carbon–carbon double bond. That change converts a saturated molecule into one that has unsaturation, such as an alkene (and with further eliminations, possibly an alkyne). So the product is an unsaturated molecule. Radicals aren’t the usual final product in a standard elimination, and a halogenated product would arise from substitution rather than elimination since elimination removes the leaving group rather than introducing a halogen.