Polar Protic vs. Polar Aprotic

[nixon13]

How do you determine the difference btwn polar protic and polar aprotic...something to do with hydrogen?

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[Mstoothlady2012]

Protic solvents have -OH or -NH2 groups and aprotic do not

 

[atlanta213]

polar protic - able to make h-bond while polar aprotic doesn't

 

[DRHOYA]

Polar-protic can hydrogen bond and are best utilized in SN1/E1...Ex: H2O, CH3OH. Polar-Aprotic cannot hydrogen bond, and are best utilized in SN2.......common Ex: Acetone, DMSO. Hope that helps.

 

[IDoWhatIWant]

Not that you asked, but just to add: Aprotic solvents are necessary for SN2 so they won't react with the strong nucleophiles. In SN1, the protic solvent helps stabilize the formed carbocation.

 

[nixon13]

titties!