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Solvents definitions

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  • Solvent
    An inert compound serving as a medium for reactions, typically shown below the reaction arrow and not directly involved in the mechanism.
  • Polar Solvent
    A molecule with a net dipole, influencing reaction environments by stabilizing charged intermediates.
  • Protic Solvent
    A compound capable of hydrogen bonding, often containing O, N, or F, which stabilizes carbocations and slows nucleophiles.
  • Aprotic Solvent
    A compound unable to hydrogen bond, allowing nucleophiles to react freely without hindrance.
  • Hydrogen Bonding
    An interaction where a hydrogen atom is shared between electronegative atoms, crucial for protic solvent behavior.
  • Carbocation Stabilization
    The effect where certain media reduce the energy of positively charged intermediates, favoring specific mechanisms.
  • Nucleophile
    A species with a negative charge or lone pair, seeking to donate electrons, whose reactivity is influenced by the surrounding medium.
  • Leaving Group
    A fragment that departs with a pair of electrons during a reaction, its importance often outweighing that of the medium.
  • SN1 Mechanism
    A substitution pathway involving carbocation formation, favored by environments that stabilize positive charges.
  • SN2 Mechanism
    A substitution pathway requiring unhindered nucleophiles, best performed in media that do not slow them down.
  • E1 Mechanism
    An elimination pathway involving carbocation intermediates, promoted by environments that stabilize positive charges.
  • E2 Mechanism
    An elimination pathway requiring strong nucleophiles, favored by media that do not hinder their movement.
  • Reaction Arrow
    A notation in chemical equations, with the medium typically indicated below and the active reagent above.
  • Dipole
    A separation of charge within a molecule, determining whether a medium is classified as polar.
  • Medium
    The environment in which a chemical process occurs, often provided by an inert compound.