Hemiacetals, acid/base catalysed formation decomposition

You can see why hemiacetals are unstable they are essentially tetrahedral intermediates containing a leaving group and, just as acid or base catalyses the formation of hemiacetals, acid or base also catalyses their decomposition back to starting aldehyde or ketone and alcohol. That s why the title of this section indicated that acid or base catalysts increase the rate of equilibration of hemiacetals with their aldehyde and alcohol components—the catalysts do not change the position of that equilibrium ... 

Hemiacetal formation and decomposition are catalysed by acid or base. 

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See also in sourсe #XX -- [ ]

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