QuestionOrganic / reagents
Classify the following species as electrophiles (E) and nucleophiles (N) in organic reactions: SO₃, Cl⁺, NO₂⁺, CH₃NH₂, H₃O⁺, BH₃, CN⁻
- (a) E = SO₃, Cl⁺, NO₂⁺, H₃O⁺ and N = BH₃, CH₃NH₂, CN⁻
- (b) E = Cl⁺, NO₂⁺, H₃O⁺ and N = SO₃, BH₃, CH₃NH₂, CN⁻
- (c) E = SO₃, BH₃, Cl⁺, NO₂⁺, H₃O⁺ and N = CH₃NH₂, CN⁻
- (d) E = CH₃NH₂, NO₂⁺, H₃O⁺, Cl⁺ and N = SO₃, BH₃, CN⁻
Answer: (c) E = SO₃, BH₃, Cl⁺, NO₂⁺, H₃O⁺ and N = CH₃NH₂, CN⁻
Electrophiles (electron-poor, empty orbital or + centre): SO₃, BH₃, Cl⁺, NO₂⁺, H₃O⁺. Nucleophiles (lone pair): CH₃NH₂, CN⁻ → (c). Trick: BH₃ and SO₃ are neutral but electron-deficient.