noun
- chemical species that donate electrons or electron pairs to form chemical bonds, typically attracted to positively charged or electron-deficient centers
Usage: chemistry; plural of nucleophile
Examples
- Hydroxide ions are common nucleophiles in organic reactions.
- The professor explained how nucleophiles attack electron-deficient carbon atoms.
- Water and ammonia are examples of weak nucleophiles.
- Strong nucleophiles like cyanide ion react rapidly with alkyl halides.
- In the substitution reaction, nucleophiles replace the leaving group.
- Students learned to identify nucleophiles by their lone pairs of electrons.