Electrophiles & Nucleophiles

Electrophiles ($$E^+$$): Electron-deficient species/Lewis acids that accept electron pairs (e.g.,$$\text{H}^+, \text{NO}_2^+, \text{Cl}^+, \text{AlCl}_3, \text{BF}_3, :\text{CCl}_2$$).

Nucleophiles ($$Nu^-$$): Electron-rich species/Lewis bases that donate electron pairs (e.g., $$\text{OH}^-, \text{CN}^-, \text{H}_2\text{O}, \text{NH}_3, \text{R--OH}$$).

• Ambident Nucleophiles: Nucleophiles possessing two nucleophilic centers but bonding through only one at a time (e.g., $$\text{CN}^- / \text{NC}^-$$, $$\text{NO}_2^- / \text{ONO}^-$$).