Electrophiles are positively charged or neutral species having vacant orbitals that are attracted to an electron rich centre. It participates in a chemical reaction by accepting an electron pair in order to bond to a nucleophile.

Electrophilic reagents include positively charged ions, for example, H+ and NO2+; neutral molecules with an electron deficiency, for example, SO3; and highly polarized molecules, for example CH3CO2–Br+.

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