electorphilic vs nucleophilic - PLEASE HELP

[dondon]

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Whats a simple way of distinguishing electrophilic and nucleophilic reactions??

I don't know why, but I can't get it... I always get those questions where they show a reaction and ask you which one it is wrong...

 

[DiverDoc]

Whats a simple way of distinguishing electrophilic and nucleophilic reactions??

Do you mean how do you disdinguish between a nucleophile vs. electrophile?

 

[killinsound]

Whats a simple way of distinguishing electrophilic and nucleophilic reactions??

I don't know why, but I can't get it... I always get those questions where they show a reaction and ask you which one it is wrong...

see which one is more electropositive and which one is more electronegative.

 

[DiverDoc]

Electrophiles love electrons. Nucleophiles love nuclei. Therefore, the species being "attacked" is the electrophile. Nucleophiles typically bear a negative charge.

Hope this helps.

 

[soonereng]

Electrophiles love electrons. Nucleophiles love nuclei. Therefore, the species being "attacked" is the electrophile. Nucleophiles typically bear a negative charge.

Another thing about nucleophiles is that they have a lone electron pair regardless of whether they have a negative charge or not, e.g. :NH3.

 

[devlyyn]

The trick my organic teacher taught me to help figure out a great deal of organic reactions is "Find the negative, find the positive and have the negative attack the positive." In other words, find the nucleophile, find the electrophile and have the nucleophile attack the electrophile.