What is a key feature of the dehydration of alcohols?

The dehydration of alcohols is characterized primarily by the formation of alkenes through the elimination of water. In this reaction, an alcohol loses a hydroxyl group and a hydrogen atom from an adjacent carbon, resulting in the formation of a double bond between two carbon atoms. This process is often facilitated by heating, especially in the presence of an acid catalyst, to enhance the reaction rate and favor the formation of the alkene product. The outcome of converting an alcohol to an alkene is essential in organic synthesis and can occur with various alcohols, yielding an array of alkene products depending on the structure of the alcohol used.

The understanding of this reaction is critical in the context of organic chemistry, as alkenes are significant intermediates and final products in a variety of chemical reactions. Thus, the correct choice highlights the key feature of the dehydration process, resulting in the formation of an alkene.