SN2 reaction
Concerted nucleophilic displacement
An SN2 reaction is a type of chemical reaction where a nucleophile attacks a molecule and displaces a leaving group in a single concerted step.
The "S" stands for substitution, "N" for nucleophilic, and "2" indicates that two molecules participate in the rate-determining step.
The reaction proceeds through a transition state where the nucleophile approaches from the opposite side of the leaving group, resulting in inversion of stereochemistry at the carbon center—like an umbrella flipping inside out in the wind.
- nucleophileElectron-pair donating species
- mechanismMeans by which something operates
- concertedJointly arranged or carried out
- primaryChief in importance
- bondBinding tie or connection
inversion · second-order · substrate · orbital · acetone · organic chemistry · methyl · bromide · bond breaking · kinetics · activation energy · tetrahedral · attack · stereochemistry · iodide · rate · electron pair · displacement
- Substitution ReactionsSN1, SN2, Friedel-Crafts, nitration, sulfonation
- nucleophileshydroxide, cyanide, bromide, chloride, iodide