Why is bromine an electrophile?

1 Answer
Apr 14, 2018

#Br_2 rarr Br^+#(Electrophile) #+ Br^-#(stable anion)

Electrophile means Electron loving specie.

Explanation:

Bromine molecule undergo heterolytic cleavage to form #Br^+# and #Br^-# ions.

Here #Br^-# ion is stable due to Noble gas configuration, so it does not readily take part in chemical reactions.

Whereas the #Br^+# ion is very unstable and to attain stability it takes part in chemical reaction.

Since #Br^+# wants to gain electron to attain stability, so it is an
Electrophile (an electron loving specie).