This lesson explains the definition, classification, and characteristic features of an electrophile that are key features of nucleophilic substitution reactions. An analysis of their charge and orbital picture helps understand their reactivity for seeking electrons. Electrophiles can be classified into positive and neutral species. Other classes include free radicals and polar functional groups.
While a positive electrophile, like a proton, reacts due to its vacant, low-energy 1s orbital, the...

Many covalent molecules have central atoms that do not have eight electrons in their Lewis structures. These molecules fall into three categories:

In addition to the oxymercuration–demercuration method, which converts the alkenes to alcohols with Markovnikov orientation, a complementary hydroboration-oxidation method yields the anti-Markovnikov product. The hydroboration reaction, discovered in 1959 by H.C. Brown, involves the addition of a B–H bond of borane to an alkene giving an organoborane intermediate. The oxidation of this intermediate with basic hydrogen peroxide forms an alcohol.

This lesson delves into Lewis acids and bases in the context of the octet rule for electron-deficient compounds. Here, the concept is discussed, emphasizing the group 13 elements like boron or aluminium. Since group 13 elements possess three valence electrons, they form trivalent compounds with a sextet of electrons and a vacant orbital for the central atom. Consequently, these electron-deficient compounds accept electrons from other species to complete their octet in a chemical reaction. They...

In 1923, G. N. Lewis proposed a generalized definition of acid-base behavior in which acids and bases are identified by their ability to accept or to donate a pair of electrons and form a coordinate covalent bond.
A coordinate covalent bond (or dative bond) occurs when one of the atoms in the bond provides both bonding electrons. For example, a coordinate covalent bond occurs when a water molecule combines with a hydrogen ion to form a hydronium ion. A coordinate covalent bond also results when...

The word “nucleophile” has a Greek root and translates to nucleus-loving. Nucleophiles are either negatively charged or neutral species with a pair of electrons in a high-energy occupied molecular orbital (HOMO). As these species tend to donate electron pairs, nucleophiles are considered Lewis bases as well. Negatively charged species, like OH−, Cl−, or HS−, with one or several pairs of electrons, are typically nucleophiles. Similarly, neutral species such as ammonia, amines, water, and alcohol...