Electrophiles: Definition and Key Concepts
What is an Electrophile?
Definition
Electrophile
An electrophile is a species that accepts an electron pair to form a covalent bond.
Electrophiles are electron-deficient species, meaning they have a partial or full positive charge or an electron-deficient region that makes them attractive to electron-rich species, such as nucleophiles.
Key Characteristics of Electrophiles:
- Electron Deficiency:
- Electrophiles lack sufficient electrons to achieve a stable electronic configuration, making them reactive.
- Charge:
- They can be positively charged ions (e.g., $H^+$, $NO_2^+$) or neutral molecules with electron-deficient regions (e.g., $CO_2$, $BF_3$).
- Reactivity:
- Electrophiles seek out electron-rich species to accept an electron pair and form a covalent bond.
Electrophiles are often the "attackers" in chemical reactions, targeting areas of high electron density, such as lone pairs or $\pi$ bonds in molecules.
Examples of Electrophiles
Electrophiles can be classified into two main categories: positively charged species and neutral molecules with electron-deficient regions.
Positively Charged Electrophiles
These species carry a full positive charge, making them highly electron-deficient and reactive.
