I believe the nucleophile is the alcohol (more specifically, the O of the alcohol). See here.
http://www.organic-chemistry.org/namedreactions/nucleophilic-substitution-sn1-sn2.shtm
If there was a reaction between organic compounds: OH + Cl --> O + HCl,
how would I determine which atoms is the nucleophile (O, Cl, or H)?
Here is a picture of the reaction:
img33.imageshack.us/img33/3923/29529709.jpg
From my understanding, a nucleophile is an electron donor. But I'm not really sure about this question.
Thanks.
2 answers
Thank you! Especially for the source, it has helped my understanding for SN1 and SN2 mechanisms.