Phase I Reactions: Hydrolytic Reactions

Hydrolysis is a chemical process where a compound is decomposed by reacting with water without altering its oxidation state.

This process plays a vital role in phase I biotransformation reactions, enhancing the hydrophilicity of xenobiotics.

Hydrolysis of esters involves enzymatic cleavage of the ester bonds to yield more soluble alcohols and acids. Aspirin, for instance, undergoes hydrolysis to form salicylic acid.

Amide drugs such as lidocaine also undergo hydrolytic reactions, where the amide bond is cleaved.

Hydrazide compounds like isocarboxazid are hydrolyzed to benzyl hydrazine.

Nonaromatic heterocycles containing amide groups or lactams undergo hydrolysis involving the disruption of the heterocyclic ring. An instance of this is the hydrolysis of chlordiazepoxide to an open-ring derivative.

Hydrolytic dehalogenation refers to the removal of a halogen atom from a compound. DDT, for example, is dehalogenated to DDE.