Aldol condensation is a chemical reaction that occurs between aldehydes or ketones containing at least one alpha-hydrogen. In this process, one molecule undergoes deprotonation to form an enolate ion, which then attacks the carbonyl carbon of another molecule. This results in the formation of a β-hydroxy aldehyde or ketone, known as an aldol. The aldol product can further undergo dehydration, losing a water molecule to form an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound. This reaction is significant in organic chemistry for synthesizing larger molecules and is often used in the production of various pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals.