The ketenes n-BuCH=C=O, PhCH=C=O, and Ph2C=C=O have been generated by flash photolysis and their reactivities toward water, including acid and base catalysis, have been measured in wholly aqueous media by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. The phenyl group electronically enhances the reactivity of ketenes relative to n-butyl toward water and hydroxide, but retards reaction with protic acids. The presence of bulky groups, including phenyls, on each side in the ketene plane sterically retards nucleophilic attack. The reactions are interpreted as involving in-plane attack by nucleophilic water or hydroxide in the neutral and base-induced reactions, and electrophilic protonation perpendicular to the ketene plane for the acid-catalyzed reaction.