Electrophiles are electron seeking species. Which of the following groups contain only electrophiles?

In AlCl3, ‘Al’ is deficient by 2 electrons to complete the octate or attain noble gas configuration. Electronic configuration of Al is [Ne]103s23p1, so aluminium has 3 electrons in the outermost shell, when it is bonding with 3 chlorines each shares an electron making a total of 6 electrons so aluminium is still deficient of 2 electron to complete octate(8) hence it act as an electrophile.

SO3 is bonded with 3 oxygen atoms which are more electronegative than sulphur hence tend to pull the electron density towards themselves(-I effect) leaving a positive charge on sulphur making it act as an electrophile.


Rest all i.e., NO2+ , CH3+ , CH3 –C+ = O are positively charged, hence electron deficient and act as electrophiles.

1