The Grignard reaction is a chemical process that involves the reaction of a Grignard reagent with a carbonyl compound. A Grignard reagent is typically formed by reacting an alkyl or aryl halide with magnesium in an anhydrous solvent. This reaction creates a highly reactive organomagnesium compound that can add to carbonyl groups, leading to the formation of alcohols. In the Grignard reaction, the nucleophilic carbon of the Grignard reagent attacks the electrophilic carbon of the carbonyl compound. This results in the formation of an intermediate, which can be hydrolyzed to yield a corresponding alcohol. The Grignard reaction is widely used in organic synthesis for constructing complex molecules.