easy · MCAT chem-phys

Which of the following best describes the difference between a nucleophile and an electrophile in an organic chemistry reaction?

1. A nucleophile is always a positively charged cation that seeks electron density from another reactive atom.
2. A nucleophile is an electron-rich species that seeks an electron-poor center; an electrophile is an electron-poor species.
3. Nucleophilicity toward a given electrophilic center is determined solely by the steric bulk of the attacking molecule.
4. An electrophile acts as a Lewis base, donating a pair of electrons to an electron-poor carbon center to form a new covalent bond.

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