Sample Animation: S_N2 Potential Energy Profile

Description The change in potential energy as the nucleophile hydroxide substitutes for the chlorine in chloromethane.

Key Observations The concerted nature of the mechanism means that there is no intermediate, just a transition state. What's the difference? How can you tell from the energy profile which bond is stringer--the carbon to oxygen, or carbon to chloride?

(Animation and caption: Dr. Roy Tasker, University of Western Sydney, Nepean)

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