Reaction of organometallic reagents with polar bonds

Both ‘Grignard reagents’ and organolithiums are particularly useful in nucleophilic addition reactions with carbonyl electrophiles, such as ketones:

The nucleophilic carbon need not be primary as in the picture above.  The synthesis of 2-phenyl-2-propanol,  for example, can be carried by reacting phenylmagnesium bromide with acetone.

Addition to formaldehyde gives 1^o alcohols

Addition to aldehydes gives 2^o alcohols

Addition to ketones gives 3^o alcohols