Mechanism of Acetaldehyde to alchol- Alchol dehydrogenase is a dimeric metal dependent dehydrogenase present in animal, plant and bacteria. The reaction mechanism discussed below might have some modifications but over-all alchol dehyrogenase follows it. The conversion of acetaldehyde to alchol by alchol dehydrogenase completes in 4 steps:

1. Binding of substrate acetaldehyde to enzyme bound zinc,
2. binding of NADH
3. transfer of hydride ion from NADH to reduce acetaldehyde.
4. Reduced acetaldehyde intermediate acquires a proton from water to form alchol.

Figure 7.4: Mechanistic details of conversion of acetaldehyde to alchol by alchol dehydrogenase