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Electrophile facts for kids

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Electrophilic addition of Br2
In this addition reaction, bromine (Br2) is the electrophile

In chemistry, an electrophile is a molecule or an atom that is happy to take electrons from another one. Many electrophiles have a positive charge. They are also called Lewis acids. Some examples of electrophiles are molecules where the atoms have a big difference in electronegativity, like HCl or a carbonyl, or also oxidizing agents.

Electrophiles get attacked by a nucleophile, which is the opposite kind of molecule. This happens for example in addition reactions.

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  • Electrophilic addition of HCl

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  • Electrophilic reaction of sulfuric acid with ethene

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