Question

Nucleophiles and electrophiles are reaction intermediates having electron-rich and electron-deficient centres respectively. Hence, they tend to attack electron-deficient and electron-rich centres respectively. Classify the following species as electrophiles and nucleophiles.

(i) H₃CO^– 

(ii) \[\begin{array}{cc}
\phantom{.}\ce{O}\\
\phantom{.}||\\
\ce{H3C - C - O-}
\end{array}\]

(iii) \[\ce{\overset{\bullet}{C}l}\]

(iv) Cl₂C:

(v) (H₃C)₃C⁺ 

(vi) Br^– 

(vii) H₃COH

(viii) R – NH – R

Answer 1

Nucleophiles: (i) H₃CO^– 

(ii) \[\begin{array}{cc}
\phantom{.}\ce{O}\\
\phantom{.}||\\
\ce{H3C - C - O-}
\end{array}\]

(vi) Br^–  

(vii) H₃COH

(viii) R – NH – R

Electrophiles: (iii) \[\ce{\overset{\bullet}{C}l}\]

(iv) Cl₂C:

(v) (H₃C)₃C⁺