Organic Chemistry/Foundational concepts of organic chemistry/Acids and bases/Electrophiles and nucleophiles

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Electrophiles are "electron-lovers". (The suffix -phile means "lover of", as bibliophile means "lover of books"). Electrophiles seek electrons.

Nucleophiles, or "nucleus lovers", seek positively charged nuclei.

Electrophiles and nucleophiles are often ions, but sometimes not.


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