Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry

Electrophilic substitution: A substitution reaction in which the new group introduced into the molecule was an electrophile.

This electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction (EAS) is an electrophilic substitution reaction because the new nitro group was installed when ⁺NO₂ (an electrophile; in blue) bonded with the benzene ring.


This S_N1 reaction is a nucleophilic substitution reaction. It is not an electrophilic substitution reaction because the new hydroxyl group is installed when the carbocation bonds to a nucleophile (water; in red).