nucleophiles

The first series of reactions we will study will be //nucleophilic// reactions.

A **nucleophile** is an atom, ion, or polyatomic ion that has an affinity for a positively charged atom. These are typically negatively charged and will have at least one lone pair of electrons that can undergo heterogenesis with an atom.

The strength of a nucleophile will be a major factor in what type of reaction occurs. Knowing its strength is therefore key to predicting things such as reaction mechanisms or products.

Here is a list of typical nucleophiles, ordered from strongest to weakest in a polar solvent:
 * Very Good || I -, HS - , RS - ||
 * Good || Br -, HO - , RO - , NC - , N3 - ||
 * Fair || NH3, Cl -, F - , RCO2 - ||
 * Weak || H2O, ROH ||
 * Very Weak || RCO2H ||