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What is true of every nucleophile? A - CIE - A-Level Chemistry - Question 20 - 2018 - Paper 1
Question 20
What is true of every nucleophile? A. It attacks a double bond. B. It donates a lone pair of electrons. C. It is a single atom. D. It is negatively charged.
Worked Solution & Example Answer:What is true of every nucleophile? A - CIE - A-Level Chemistry - Question 20 - 2018 - Paper 1
Step 1
It donates a lone pair of electrons.
Answer
Every nucleophile is characterized by its ability to donate a pair of electrons to an electrophile, which is a seeking species that can accept those electrons. This electron donation is fundamental to the nucleophilic attack, making option B the correct answer. While nucleophiles may engage with double bonds (option A), they do not exclusively attack them. Additionally, nucleophiles can consist of multiple atoms or be negatively charged, but these are not requirements; hence, options C and D do not universally apply.