Dehydration

More complex molecules such as the disaccharides maltose and cellobiose, are formed by joining two glucose monomers together. In an enzyme controlled reaction glucose molecules are bonded together by the removal of water - this is called a dehydration reaction. The bond formed between the two glucose monomers is known as a glycosidic bond. Dehydration reactions are frequently used to link molecules together.

In the formation of the disaccharide maltose, two alpha glucose molecules are linked together. The OH group (hydroxyl) on carbon 1 of one glucose molecule…