SN2 mechanism

The SN2 mechanism is a type of chemical reaction where a nucleophile (an electron-rich species) directly attacks a carbon atom bonded to a leaving group, causing the leaving group to depart. This process occurs in a single, coordinated step, with the nucleophile pushing in as the leaving group moves out, leading to an inversion of the molecule's structure (like flipping a glove inside out). The reaction rate depends on both the attacking nucleophile and the substrate's structure, favoring less crowded carbons for faster reactions. It’s a concerted process, meaning all bond-breaking and bond-forming happen simultaneously.