Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
A carbanion is an ion that contains a carbon atom with a negative charge due to an extra pair of electrons. It acts as a nucleophile in organic reactions, readily forming bonds with electrophiles.
Organic compounds containing at least one halogen (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, or iodine) atom attached to carbon, often involved in reactions with nucleophiles like carbanions.
A chemical species that donates an electron pair to form a chemical bond in relation to an electrophile; it's essentially the "hugger" in reaction mechanisms.
A reagent formed by the reaction of magnesium metal with alkyl or aryl halides, which acts as a strong nucleophile and can form carbanions upon reacting with certain substances