The Aldol Reaction is a fundamental organic chemistry process where two aldehydes or ketones react in the presence of a base to form a β-hydroxy carbonyl compound. This reaction involves the formation of an enolate ion from one carbonyl compound, which then attacks the carbonyl carbon of another, leading to a new carbon-carbon bond. After the initial aldol addition, the β-hydroxy carbonyl can undergo dehydration to yield an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound. This reaction is significant in synthetic organic chemistry for constructing complex molecules and is often used in the synthesis of various natural products and pharmaceuticals.