Why are nucleophiles Lewis bases?

1 Answer
anor277
May 25, 2018

Well, what is a #"Lewis Base"#?

Explanation:

And by definition a #"Lewis Base"# is an electron-pair donor. Now the electron pair is conceived to be donated to an electrophile in a nucleophilic substitution reaction...and this is precisely what occurs in such a reaction....

#underbrace(HO^(-) + H^+)_"Lewis base + Lewis acid" rightleftharpoons H_2O(l)#

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