Curly Arrow Mechanisms and Nucleophiles

Question 1

What does a curly arrow represent?

Answer 1

The movement of a shared pair of electrons

Question 2

What is the formula for calculating the charge of an atom?

Answer 2

Charge of atom = number of valence electrons - number of bonds - number of nonbonding electrons

Question 3

What is a nucleophile?

Answer 3

A species with a high electron density that donates an electron pair to form a new covalent bond.

Nucleophile = “nucleus loving”

Question 4

What is the main characteristic of nucleophiles?

Answer 4

Have regions of high electron density -

regions where there is a high chance of finding an electron

Question 5

How can you identify which substance in a reaction is a nucleophile?

Answer 5

Species at the start of the curly arrow

Question 6

What is an electrophile?

Answer 6

A species with a low electron density that accepts an electron pair to form a covalent bond.

Electrophile = “electron loving”

Question 7

How can you identify which substance in a reaction is an electrophile?

Answer 7

Species at the tip of the curly arrow

Question 8

What is the main characteristic of electrophiles?

Answer 8

Have regions of low electron density

Question 9

Substances can act as either nucleophiles or electrophiles when they…

Answer 9

1) have lone pairs of electrons

2) have partial charges

Question 10

What are examples of nucleophiles?

Answer 10

Can have a negative charge OR a lone pair of electrons.

CN⁻

NH₃