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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