Electrophiles And Nucleophiles
Which of the following species acts as a nucleophile in organic reactions?
Select the correct option:
Solution
NH₃
A nucleophile is an electron-rich species that donates an electron pair to an electrophile (electron-deficient species) to form a new covalent bond. NH₃ (ammonia) has a lone pair of electrons on the nitrogen atom and readily donates it to electron-deficient centers — it is a classic nucleophile. BF₃ is a Lewis acid (electron-pair acceptor) because boron has an empty p orbital; it acts as an electrophile. AlCl₃ is also a Lewis acid and electrophile. NO₂⁺ (the nitronium ion) is a positively charged electrophile used in electrophilic aromatic nitration. Therefore, among the options, only NH₃ is a nucleophile.
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About This Question
- Subject
- chemistry
- Chapter
- some basic principles of organic chemistry
- Topic
- electrophiles and nucleophiles
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Year
- 2025
Solution
Correct Answer:
NH₃
A nucleophile is an electron-rich species that donates an electron pair to an electrophile (electron-deficient species) to form a new covalent bond. NH₃ (ammonia) has a lone pair of electrons on the nitrogen atom and readily donates it to electron-deficient centers — it is a classic nucleophile. BF₃ is a Lewis acid (electron-pair acceptor) because boron has an empty p orbital; it acts as an electrophile. AlCl₃ is also a Lewis acid and electrophile. NO₂⁺ (the nitronium ion) is a positively charged electrophile used in electrophilic aromatic nitration. Therefore, among the options, only NH₃ is a nucleophile.
This easy difficulty chemistry question is from the chapter some basic principles of organic chemistry, covering the topic of electrophiles and nucleophiles. It appeared in the 2025 exam.
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