Definition

A measure of how reactive a chemical species is when it donates an electron pair to form a bond with a positively charged atom or molecule.

Example

The nucleophilicity of the reagent determines how quickly it will react with the electrophile.

Conversation

I was reading about nucleophilicity in chemistry class today.

Oh really? What does that mean exactly?

It's basically about how reactive a nucleophile is in a reaction.

Got it! That sounds pretty interesting, actually.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Nucleophilicity → It is formed from "nucleo-" (from Latin "nucleus", meaning kernel or core) and "-philic" (from Greek "philos", meaning loving). The term describes the tendency of a species to seek out and react with positively charged centers, indicating a 'love' for nuclei or positive charges.

Memory Tip

Think of 'nucleus' as the core or center that attracts, and '-philic' means 'loving' — so nucleophilicity refers to the tendency to 'love' or seek out positive charges.

Visually Confused Words