What type of addition occurs when water reacts with alkenes under specific conditions?

The reaction of water with alkenes under specific conditions is classified as electrophilic addition, which is a key mechanism in organic chemistry.

In this process, alkenes, which are characterized by their carbon-carbon double bonds, act as nucleophiles due to the electron-rich nature of the double bond. When water is introduced, an electrophile—typically a proton (H⁺) from a strong acid or water itself under acidic conditions—attacks the alkene. This results in the formation of a carbocation intermediate. The water molecule then acts as a nucleophile and attacks the positively charged carbon atom, leading to the formation of an alcohol.

This mechanism highlights how the initial attack by the electrophile activates the double bond, facilitating the addition of water across the double bond. The reaction is specific to alkenes due to their reactivity with electrophiles, establishing the process as electrophilic addition rather than other types like nucleophilic substitution or free radical addition, which involve different mechanisms and reactants.