Electrophile

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(Redirected from Electrophilic)

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

Common examples of electrophiles include:

See Also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]


Electrophile Resources

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD