What is produced when an alkene undergoes hydration?

When an alkene undergoes hydration, the reaction typically involves the addition of water (H₂O) across the carbon-carbon double bond of the alkene, resulting in the formation of an alcohol. This reaction is commonly facilitated by the presence of an acid catalyst, such as sulfuric acid, which helps to protonate the alkene and generate a carbocation intermediate.

The water molecule then acts as a nucleophile, attacking the carbocation and leading to the formation of the alcohol product. The structure of the alcohol formed will depend on the position of the double bond in the starting alkene and the regioselectivity of the reaction, which is often guided by Markovnikov's rule. This rule states that the hydrogen atom from the acid will add to the less substituted carbon of the double bond, while the hydroxyl group (from water) will bond to the more substituted carbon.

As a result, the key product of alkene hydration is an alcohol, which aligns with the given answer. Other classes of compounds such as carboxylic acids, ketones, or aldehydes may not form directly from the hydration of alkenes under typical conditions and are instead produced through different types of reactions, such as oxidation or rearrangement