Protonated Acetaldehyde: A Lewis Acid - Lewis Base Complex

Protonated acetaldehyde. This ion can be seen as the Lewis Acid-Lewis Base complex formed between a proton and acetaldehyde. The result of the protonation is a increased positive charge on the carbonyl carbon. We will use protonation often to affect this "activation" of the carbonyl group. Draw the resonance forms that describe this ion.


Figure. The MP2(full)/6-31G* optimized structure of the protonated acetaldehyde.