Connecting the α-carbon of one with the carbonyl carbon of the other.
- The carbonyl carbon of an aldehyde or ketone is an electrophile, and when the proton is removed from the α-carbon, the α-carbon can be an nucleophile.
- An aldol addition is a reaction in which both of these reactivities are observed.
When the reactant is an aldehyde,the product is a β-hydroxyaldehyde.
When the reactant is a ketone,the product is a β-hydroxyketone.
