Other Definitions
addition reaction (dict)
|
Addition ReactionAn addition reaction, in chemistry, is in its simplest terms a reaction where two or more molecules combine to form a larger one. There are two main types of addition reactions. The first is electrophilic addition, and the second is nucleophilic addition. In electrophilic addition reactions, a molecule wants electrons, this molecule, example a proton, is attacked by a molecule that has electrons, example a carbon-carbon double bond. Now in order to complete the octet the former carbon-carbon double bond now must be attacked with something that has electrons like a Cl- atom. The electrophile(proton) started this reaction process so it is called an electrophilic addition reaction. In a nucleophilic addition reaction, a molecule that has electrons, ex. Cl- attacks an electrophile example formaldehyde. Now the oxygen atom on formaldehyde has extra electrons and it binds to a proton to get rid of its formal charge. Addition reactions are common in polymerization.
|
 |