Acetylation (or in IUPAC nomenclature ethanoylation) describes a reaction that introduces an acetyl functional group into an organic compound. Deacetylation's the removal of the acetyl group. Moreover, it's that process of introducing an acetyl group (resulting in an acetoxy group) into a compound, specifically, the substitution of an acetyl group for an active hydrogen atom. A reaction involving the replacement of the hydrogen atom of a hydroxyl group with an acetyl group (CH3 CO) yields a spec… (More on Acetylation)