• A?nucleophilic substitution?reaction is one in which a?nucleophile?attacks a carbon atom which carries a?partial?positive?charge
• An atom that has a?partial?negative?charge?is replaced by the nucleophile
• Halogenoalkanes will undergo nucleophilic substitution reactions due to the polar C-X bond (where X is a halogen)

Due to large differences in electronegativity between the carbon and halogen atom, the C-X bond is polar

Mechanism with aqueous potassium hydroxide

• In the following reaction a halogenoalkane reacts with aqueous alkali to form an alcohol

The halogen is replaced by a nucleophile, OH–

• The mechanism for the reaction is as follows

Nucleophilic substitution reaction of bromoethane and aqueous alkali (e.g. NaOH)

Mechanism with ammonia

• When ammonia reacts with a haloalkane a nucleophilic substitution reaction takes place forming a primary amine
  • For example chloromethane reacts with ammonia in two steps to make methylamine and ammonium chloride

CH3Cl + NH3?→?[CH3NH3]+Cl-

[CH3NH3]+Cl-?+ NH3?→ CH3NH2?+ NH4+Cl-

• Excess?ammonia is used to prevent further substitution and favour the formation of a primary amine

The mechanism of nucleophilic substitution between ammonia and a halogenoalkane