Electrophile
An electron-deficient species that seeks and accepts a pair of electrons from an electron-rich centre.
Formula / equation
E⁺
Unit
Dimensionless
In depth
Electrophiles are Lewis acids and may be positively charged or simply have an atom with an incomplete octet or a strong partial positive charge. They attack the electron-rich regions of molecules, especially pi bonds and lone pairs.
Examples in the real world
NO₂⁺ in nitration, Br⁺ in bromination, and the carbonyl carbon of an aldehyde.