In the nucleophilic addition of to a carbonyl compound, why is the reaction carried out in the prese — Aldehydes Ketones and Carboxylic Acids Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

$HCN$ is a weak acid and a weak nucleophile. The base removes the proton from $HCN$ to generate the powerful Cyanide ion ($CN^-$), which readily attacks the carbonyl carbon.