Final answer:
Organometallic reagents react with aldehydes or ketones through a nucleophilic addition forming a new C-C bond, leading to the production of an alcohol. Aldehydes and ketones can also form glycocidic bonds with alcohols, undergo reduction to form alcohols, participate in aldol condensation, and differ in their susceptibility to oxidation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The general mechanism by which organometallic reagents react with aldehydes or ketones involves a nucleophilic addition to the carbonyl carbon. Organometallic reagents, which have a metal-carbon bond, are strong nucleophiles and can form bonds with the electrophilic carbon in the carbonyl group of aldehydes or ketones.
In aldol condensation reactions, an enolate ion formed from a ketone or an aldehyde acts as a nucleophile and attacks another aldehyde or ketone molecule, which acts as an electrophile. This produces an aldol adduct which can then undergo dehydration to yield an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound.