See image — GOC and Organic Chemistry Basics Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

# Dual Electrophile-Nucleophile Behavior **Key Concept:** A compound behaves as both electrophile and nucleophile when it has: - Electron-deficient regions (electrophilic sites) - Electron-rich regions (nucleophilic sites) ## Analysis of Acetone ($CH_3COCH_3$) **Nucleophilic character:** - The oxygen atom has lone pairs of electrons - These can attack electron-deficient carbon atoms (acting as nucleophile) - Example: $CH_3COCH_3 + HCN \rightarrow$ cyanohydrin **Electrophilic character:** - The carbonyl carbon ($C=O$) is electron-deficient due to the electronegative oxygen withdrawing electron density - Nucleophiles readily attack this carbon (acetone acts as electrophile) - Example: $CH_3COCH_3 + NaOH \rightarrow$ aldol condensation ## Why Other Options Are Wrong **(B) Cyanide ion** ($CN^-$): Purely nucleophilic; no electrophilic sites **(C) Nitrite ion** ($NO_2^-$): Primarily nucleophilic; resonance-stabilized anion **(D) Sulphite ion** ($SO_3^{2-}$): Primarily nucleophilic; highly negative charge **Answer: (A) Acetone** — the polar $C=O$ bond creates both electrophilic (C) and nucleophilic (O) sites simultaneously.