SN1
Science & Engineering abbreviation · Chemistry
| Stands for | Unimolecular nucleophilic substitution |
|---|---|
| Categories | Science & Engineering |
SN1 stands for Unimolecular nucleophilic substitution, a chemistry abbreviation.
Two-step organic reaction mechanism in which a leaving group departs first to form a carbocation, which a nucleophile then attacks. Because the rate depends only on the substrate, SN1 reactions favor tertiary substrates and polar protic solvents and usually scramble stereochemistry.
Example: In water, tert-butyl bromide hydrolyzes by an SN1 mechanism.
Usage notes
Christopher Ingold and Edward Hughes introduced the notation in the 1930s; it reads substitution, nucleophilic, unimolecular. Carbocation intermediates can rearrange, and SN1 reactions often compete with E1 elimination. The N is usually printed as a subscript.
Related abbreviations
More chemistry abbreviations
- Rf – Retention factor
- RT – Room temperature
- RTP – Room temperature and pressure
- SATP – Standard ambient temperature and pressure
- SDS – Safety data sheet
- SLS – Sodium lauryl sulfate
- SN2 – Bimolecular nucleophilic substitution
- STP – Standard temperature and pressure
- TFA – Trifluoroacetic acid
- TGA – Thermogravimetric analysis
- THF – Tetrahydrofuran
- TLC – Thin-layer chromatography