Electrophile

Electrophile is a chemical species that accepts electrons and is attracted to negative charges. It is a key concept in the field of organic chemistry and plays a significant role in many chemical reactions, including addition reactions and substitution reactions.

Definition

An electrophile is a molecule or ion that can accept an electron pair from a nucleophile to form a new covalent bond. This is due to the electrophile's positive or partial positive charge, which is attracted to the negative charge of the electron pair. Electrophiles can be simple ions like the hydrogen ion (H+) or they can be complex molecules.

Role in Chemical Reactions

Electrophiles are crucial in many types of chemical reactions. They are particularly important in electrophilic addition and electrophilic substitution reactions, which are common in organic chemistry. In these reactions, an electrophile reacts with a nucleophile, often resulting in the formation of a new covalent bond.

Examples of Electrophiles

Common examples of electrophiles include:

• Hydronium ion (H3O+)
• Hydrogen ion (H+)
• Boron trifluoride (BF3)
• Iron(III) chloride (FeCl3)

See Also

• Nucleophile
• Lewis acids and bases
• Chemical polarity
• Chemical reaction

References

Electrophile Resources
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