Question

Is water an electrophile?

Answer 1

1. Electrophile: An atom or molecule finding an atom or molecule with an available electron pair for bonding during a chemical process. More precisely we can say that electron-deficient species are called electrophiles.
2. Example of electrophile: ${\mathrm{AlCl}}_3,{\mathrm{BF}}_3,{\mathrm{F}}_2$, etc.
3. Water: Due to the positive charge that each hydrogen atom has, water $\left(H_{2}O\right)$ is an electrophile.
4. A positive charge on the hydrogen makes them electron-deficient so it can easily accept the electron to form the bond.
5. As water form hydronium ion (${\mathbf{H}}_{\mathbf{3}}{\mathbf{O}}^{\mathbf{+}}$), which have a positive charge on oxygen atom so it becomes more electrophilic.
6. On the other hand, water has loan pair of electrons on an oxygen atom, it can donate the loan pair and hence it is a good nucleophile as well.
7. We can conclude that water is less electrophilic and more nucleophilic.

Hence, water is less electrophile.