Trichloroacetaldehyde (chloral) unusually forms a highly stable hydrate (a gem-diol) with water. Wha — Aldehydes Ketones and Carboxylic Acids Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Normally, gem-diols are unstable. However, the powerful -I effect of the $CCl_3$ group drastically reduces electron density on the carbonyl carbon, stabilizing the normally crowded $sp^3$ gem-diol framework.