![]() When hydroxide ion donates a pair of electrons to an electrophilic atom (such as carbon here) to form a new covalent bond, it is acting as a nucleophile.Īnd as we’ve seen before, when hydroxide ion donates a pair of electrons to an (acidic) proton to form a new covalent bond, we say it’s acting as a “ base“. Let’s look at an example we’re familiar with: hydroxide ion. Here are some examples of Lewis bases you’re probably familiar with.Īs you can see, nucleophiles all have pairs of electrons to donate, and tend to be rich in electrons. When the nucleophile donates a pair of electrons to a proton (H +) it’s called a Brønsted base, or simply, “base”. In other words, nucleophiles are Lewis bases. Sound familiar? It should! This is the exact definition of a Lewis base. A nucleophile is a reactant that provides a pair of electrons to form a new covalent bond. Let’s start with “nucleophiles” (from “nucleus loving”, or “positive-charge loving”). A Nucleophile Is A Reactant That Provides A Pair Of Electrons To Form A New Covalent Bond The Vast Majority Of Reactions You Will See Are Reactions Between A Nucleophile And An Electrophileġ.Nucleophilicity” And “Electrophilicity” Refer To The Extent To Which A Species Can Donate Or Accept A Pair Of Electrons.An Electrophile Is A Reactant That Accepts A Pair Of Electrons To Form A New Covalent Bond.A Nucleophile Is A Reactant That Provides A Pair Of Electrons To Form A New Covalent Bond.They’re called nucleophiles and electrophiles. Today, we’ll officially give a name to the types of species that are considered “electron rich “ and “electron poor”. Nucleophiles and Electrophiles, Nucleophilicity and ElectrophilicityĪll through the series on understanding where electrons are, and how they flow, we’ve been talking about how the basis of chemistry is that opposite charges attract and like charges repel, and that in reactions, electrons flow from “electron rich” areas to “electron poor” areas.
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