[kaif87]

Why does ammonia show condensation with formaldehyde and acetone?

I have looked in many books but i couldnt find any which explain why its shows condensation reaction.Please help me!

[Demotivator]

This site might help
http://www.rhodium.ws/chemistry/reductive.amination.html

"Ammonia reacts with aldehydes and ketones to form compounds called imines (a condensation reaction with the elimination of water). The first step is a nucleophilic addition to the carbonyl group followed by a rapid proton transfer. The resulting product, a hemiaminal, also sometimes called a carbinolamine, is generally unstable and cannot be isolated. A second reaction occurs in which water is eliminated from the hemiaminal and imine is formed."