Why is ethanol not used in SN2 reactions?

1 Answer
Morgan
Jan 28, 2017

Ethanol is a polar protic solvent.

Explanation:

#S_N2# reactions "favor" certain conditions, just like #S_N1, E_1,#and #E_2# reactions.

Favorable conditions for bimolecular nucleophilic substitution reactions include polar aprotic solvents. Polar protic solvents hinder #S_N2# reactions, as they can hydrogen bond to nucleophiles and make them less effective in attacking the substrate. Ethanol is a polar protic solvent (though alcohols are only weakly acidic). It is commonly seen as a solvent/nucleophile (solvolysis) in #S_N1# reactions.

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