Chapter 5: 5.1 Important Terminology Flashcards
Define:
Nucleophiles
Electron donors that attack electrophiles
Define:
Electrophiles
Electron acceptors that are attacked by nucleophiles
Define:
Leaving Groups
Depart during substitution and elimination reactions
Nucleophiles and leaving groups are just…
Fancy conjugate bases!
A good nucleophile is…
A bad leaving group
* Both unstable/reactive conjugate bases
A bad nucleophile is…
A good leaving group
* Both stable/unreactive conjugate bases
What must nucleophiles have to attack an electrophile?
Lone pairs
How can nucleophiles attacking be shown?
Be shown with an arrow, indicating the subsequent bond breakage
True or False:
The arrow always travels from the nucleophile to the electrophile
Travels
How does nucleophilicity change?
(3 points)
- Increases with negative charge
- Increases with basicity in general
- Increases with more polarizable atoms (size)
Why are electrophiles subject to attack by a nucleophile?
Electron deficient
What forms can electrophiles take?
(3 points)
- Positively charged (carbocations)
- Lewis acids (like boron and aluminum)
- Partially positive because of bond dipoles
What is the most common electrophiles you will see in organic chemistry?
Carbon at the base of a carbonyl and the carbocation
What features must a leaving group have?
(3 points)
- Electronegative (halides)
- Resonance (tosylates - Ts; mesylates - Ms; acetates - Ac)
- Induction
Define:
Substitution reactions
Replaces one group (leaving group) with another (nucleophile)
