Deprotonation

Deprotonation is the removal (transfer) of a proton (a hydrogen cation, H) from a Brønsted-Lowry acid in an acid-base reaction. The species formed is the conjugate base of that acid. The complementary process, when a proton is added (transferred) to a Brønsted-Lowry base, is protonation. The species formed is the conjugate acid of that base.