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Why H3O+, NH4+, Na+, and Ca2+ are not electrophiles?

 

Electrophiles are electron-deficient atoms or molecules that accept electrons from donors, the nucleophile. 

The electrophiles are identified with a positive sign on the electron-deficient atom as +/δ+. However, all positive charge containing atoms cannot act as electron acceptors or the electrophiles. 

For example, Na+, Ca2+, H3O+, and NH4+ are not electrophiles.

Na+ and Ca2+

Sodium (Na) and Calcium (Ca) has 11 and 20 electrons in an atom, and they prefer to lose one and two electrons to reach a stable inert gas configuration. Therefore, Na+ and Ca2+, having attained their octet stability, do not accept any more electrons to function as an electrophile.

 

Why some cations like Na+ and Ca2+ are not electrophiles?

 

H3O+ and NH4+

Neutral NH3 and H2O have one and two lone pairs on the atom, Nitrogen, and Oxygen. Once the atom donates the lone pair to hydrogen, it forms a coordinate covalent bond with it (represented as an arrow). 

 

Examples of Electrophiles that are not Lewis acids

 

The loss of electrons creates a positive charge on the electronegative atoms Nitrogen and Oxygen to form NH4+ and H3O+. 

The atoms Nitrogen and Oxygen in NH4+ and H3O+ have an octet configuration of eight electrons, the stable state for an atom. The atoms’ orbitals are complete, and they do not have an extra orbital available to accept any more electrons. Therefore, they cannot act as an electrophile. 

Also, the positive charge on electronegative atoms is not a preferred state, so the NH4+ and H3O+ will lose (not gain) the excess electrons to reach their stable, uncharged divalent (H2O) and trivalent (NH3) states.

 

Why H3O+ and NH4+ are not electrophiles?

 

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