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datheman datheman
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12 years ago
In Organic Chemistry.
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12 years ago
Put simply, in substition reactions, one thing replaces (substitutes for) another. In addition reactions, the reactants add together (so only one product).

Substitution could be A-B + C  Rightwards Arrow C-B + A
Addition could be  A-B + C  Rightwards Arrow A-B-C

http://drtchemistry.wordpress.com
wrote...
12 years ago
In nucleophilic substitution a nucleophile (such as OH-) attacks a polar C-X bond and the attacking nucleophile replaces the -X group which leaves as X-

The most common form is the substitution of OH- nucleophile for halide ions in the hydrolysis of Alkyl halides

  eg   R - Cl     +     OH-     Rightwards Arrow   R -OH    +   Cl-

Nucleophilic addition  involves the nucleophile attacking an electron deficient site on a polar double or triple bond. This occurs when the bond attacked is markedly polar such as the C=O bond in an aldehyde or ketone and the nucleophile can add on to the carbon atom with a partial positive charge producing a carbanion (the O atom then has  negative charge) and an electrophile can add on to the O atom subsequently. This is 1,2 nucleophilic addition.

Other groups which undergo nucleophilic addition are nitriles and imines which also have a significant charge separation across the bond.

Non polar double bonds do not undergo nucleophilic addition but those with very electronegative groups attached to one C atom may.
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