Chemistry
Nucleophilic Substitution Reactions: SN1 and SN2 Mechanisms
Quick fact
The 'S' in SN1 and SN2 stands for 'substitution', and the 'N' for 'nucleophilic'. The number indicates the molecularity of the rate-determining step: unimolecular (1) for SN1 and bimolecular (2) for SN2.
Why this is interesting
Why do some chemical replacements happen in a single swift step, while others take two? And why does the shape of the starting molecule determine whether the product's three-dimensional structure flips or ends up as a scrambled mixture?