Water is the hidden leaving group of carbonyls.

Name: Water is the hidden leaving group of carbonyls.
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Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When a carbonyl compound undergoes nucleophilic addition, the intermediate is an oxyanion. This oxyanion is very unstable and water molecule abstracts a proton from it resulting in the formation of the corresponding alcohol and regenerating the carbonyl compound. Thus, water acts as the hidden leaving group for carbonyls.

Water Is the Hidden Leaving Group of Carbonyls