Which of the following species does NOT act as a nucleophile? — Reaction Mechanism Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

A nucleophile is an electron-rich species with at least one unshared pair of electrons (Lewis base). $(CH_3)_2NH$, $C_2H_5OH$, and $H_2O$ all have lone pairs on nitrogen or oxygen. $AlCl_3$ has an incomplete octet on aluminum, making it an electron-deficient species (Lewis acid), and thus acts as an electrophile.