The enzymatic conversion of glucose to ethanol is a biochemical process called fermentation, primarily catalyzed by the enzyme complex zymase, found in yeast, breaking down sugar into ethanol and carbon dioxide, crucial for brewing, baking, and biofuels.

The overall chemical equation for the conversion of glucose to ethanol via fermentation is C₆H₁₂O₆ → 2C₂H₅OH + 2CO₂, where one molecule of glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) breaks down into two molecules of ethanol (C₂H₅OH) and two molecules of carbon dioxide (CO\(_2\)).

Glucose polymerization links many glucose monomers (units) into long chains (polymers) like starch, cellulose, and glycogen, forming essential carbohydrates for energy storage (starch/glycogen) or structure (cellulose).

The hydrogenation of glucose is a catalytic process that adds hydrogen to its carbonyl group, reducing it to a primary alcohol and converting the sugar into sorbitol, a widely used sugar alcohol.

Saponification is the chemical process where fats or oils react with a strong alkali (like sodium or potassium hydroxide) to produce soap (a fatty acid salt) and glycerol.