What is the Difference Between Electropositive and Electronegative Radicals?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The key difference between electropositive and electronegative radicals lies in their ability to lose or gain electrons and their resulting charge:
- Electropositive Radicals: These radicals have the capacity to lose electrons and carry a positive charge. They are formed due to the low electronegativity of a chemical species, meaning it has a tendency to give up electrons and form positively charged ions. Examples of electropositive radicals include cesium, potassium, sodium, and lithium.
- Electronegative Radicals: These radicals have the capacity to gain electrons and carry a negative charge. They are formed due to the high electronegativity of a chemical species, meaning it has a tendency to gain electrons and form negatively charged anions. Examples of electronegative radicals include chlorine anion (Cl⁻) and fluoride anion (F⁻).
In summary:
- Electropositive radicals lose electrons and carry a positive charge.
- Electronegative radicals gain electrons and carry a negative charge.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Electropositive and Electronegative Radicals? Comparative Table: Electropositive vs Electronegative Radicals
Comparative Table: Electropositive vs Electronegative Radicals
Here is a table comparing the differences between electropositive and electronegative radicals:
Characteristic | Electropositive Radicals | Electronegative Radicals |
---|---|---|
Charge | Positive | Negative |
Electron interaction | Releases electrons | Gains electrons |
Formation of ions | Forms cations | Forms anions |
Reactivity | Highly reactive | Highly reactive |
Examples | Cesium, potassium, sodium, and lithium | Chlorine anion (Cl–), fluoride anion (F–) |
Electropositive radicals are able to release electrons and form positively charged ions, while electronegative radicals can gain electrons and form negatively charged ions. Both types of radicals are highly reactive due to their unpaired valence electrons.
Read more:
- Electropositive vs Electronegative
- Acidic Radical vs Basic Radical
- Electronegativity vs Polarity
- Nucleophile vs Electrophile
- Radical vs Valency
- Free Radical vs Ion
- Electrophilic vs Nucleophilic Substitution
- Positive vs Negative Ion
- Electronegativity vs Ionization Energy
- Nucleophilic vs Electrophilic Addition
- Electric Dipole vs Magnetic Dipole
- Free Radical Substitution vs Nucleophilic Substitution
- Positive vs Negative Zeta Potential
- Valency vs Valence Electrons
- Ions vs Electrons
- Electronegativity vs Electron Affinity
- Free Radical vs Ionic Polymerization
- Photocatalysis vs Electrocatalysis
- Free Radical Substitution vs Free Radical Addition