CH3Cl

[Drishti_Jain_1D]

Why is CH3Cl an electrophile if Cl is full of lone pairs?
Is it only the carbon region that is an electrophile?
Does that make CH3Cl both a nucleophile and an electrophile?

Thanks!

[Jenny_Thompson_3I]

It is because of the fact that the C-Cl bond is polar. Since Cl is negative, the electrons will be more drawn to that atom so a dipole moment will occur. The Cl will be slightly negative and the C will be slightly positive, this is what makes it and electrophile. Since the C carries a slight positive charge, it will be open for nucleophilic attack.

[Cris Yuan 2I]

I think page 82 of the reader explains CH3Cl and other alkyl halides very well:
The C is the electron deficient electrophile site, and because Cl is the nucleophile site, the C-Cl bond could quickly donate an electron to Cl when it attracts a nucleophile.