How do Grignard reagents interact with carbonyl compounds?

Grignard reagents are highly reactive organomagnesium compounds that serve as excellent nucleophiles. In their interaction with carbonyl compounds, Grignard reagents attack the electrophilic carbon atom of the carbonyl group (C=O). This nucleophilic addition leads to the formation of a tetrahedral intermediate. Following this step, the intermediate can then be protonated, usually in an aqueous workup, to yield an alcohol.

This fundamental property of Grignard reagents is crucial in organic synthesis, particularly for the construction of alcohols. The versatility of the resulting alcohols allows for a wide range of applications in further chemical reactions. Thus, the ability of Grignard reagents to act as nucleophiles and form alcohols upon reacting with carbonyl compounds is a key feature in understanding their role in organic chemistry.