Identify the nucleophile and electrophile from NH3 and CH3. Also indicate the nucleophilic and electrophilic centres in them. Justify.

Question

Identify the nucleophile and electrophile from NH₃ and  . Also indicate the nucleophilic and electrophilic centres in them. Justify.

Answer 1

The structural formulae of two reagents showing all the valence electrons are:

Thus, NH₃ contains N with a lone pair of electrons which can be given away to another species. Therefore, NH₃ is a nucleophile and ‘N’ in it is the nucleophilic centre.

The  is a positively charged electron deficient species having a vacant orbital on the carbon. It is an electrophile and the ‘C’ in it is the electrophilic centre.