In chemistry, protonation is the addition of a proton (H⁺) to an atom, molecule, or ion, forming the conjugate acid. Some examples include

• the protonation of water by sulfuric acid:

• the protonation of isobutene in the formation of a carbocation:

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• the protonation of ammonia in the formation of ammonium chloride from ammonia and hydrogen chloride:

Protonation is a fundamental chemical reaction and is a step in many stoichiometric and catalytic processes. Some ions and molecules can undergo more than one protonation and are labeled polybasic, which is true of many biological macromolecules. Protonation and deprotonation occur in most acid-base reactions; they are the core of most acid-base reaction theories. A Bronsted-Lowry acid is defined as a chemical substance that protonates another substance. Upon protonating a substrate, the mass and the charge of the species each increase by one unit. Protonating or deprotonating a molecule or ion alters many chemical properties beyond the change in the charge and mass: hydrophilicity, reduction potential, optical properties, among others. Protonation is also an essential step in certain analytical procedures such as electrospray mass spectrometry.