= Condensation reaction
A <condensation reaction> joins molecular units while eliminating a small molecule such as <water> or an alcohol. Formation of an <ester> from a <carboxylic acid> and an alcohol is a familiar example.
The term classifies the overall transformation, not one universal mechanism. In <polycondensation>, repeated joining can build a <polymer> while small molecules are released. An <aldol condensation> combines carbon-carbon bond formation with a subsequent elimination, so its full outcome must be distinguished from the initial <aldol reaction>.
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