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Nucleophilicity
Concepts tested here
- Nucleophilicity down a group
All Questions
2007 AIPMT-PRE 1 question
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For (i) $I^-$, (ii) $Cl^-$, (iii) $Br^-$, the increasing order of nucleophilicity would beNucleophilicity increases down a group of the periodic table (in protic solvents).
As the size of the halide ion increases from $Cl^-$ to $I^-$, its electron cloud becomes more polarisable, so it can donate its electron pair to carbon more easily.
A larger ion is also less strongly solvated (hydrogen bonded) by the solvent, so it is freer to attack.
$I^- \gt Br^- \gt Cl^- \gt F^-$
So the increasing order of nucleophilicity is: $Cl^- \lt Br^- \lt I^-$