Question

What is the difference between an acid and an electrophile?

Answer 1

According to Lewis, an acid is any substance that can accept an electron pair and an electrophile is a chemical species that forms bonds with nucleophiles by accepting an electron pair. The purpose of an acid is to take electrons in order to donate a proton. The purpose of an electrophile is to take electrons in order to make a significant bond.

Complete Step By Step Answer:
An acid is a molecule or ion capable of either donating a proton, known as a Bronsted Lowry acid, or, capable of forming a covalent bond with an electron pair, known as a Lewis acid And electrophiles are species that either have a positive charge or are neutral but which have empty electron orbitals which are attracted to an electron rich center.
The major difference between an electrophile and a Lewis acid is that: Electrophilic behavior involves making a new bond, and is kinetic behavior. A Lewis acid after having accepted an electron pair, involved in Bronsted-acidic activity, just wants to give up a proton and is thermodynamic behavior. All electrophiles are Lewis acids, but not all Lewis acids are electrophiles. A Lewis base after having donated an electron pair, involved in Bronsted-basic activity, just wants a proton and is thermodynamic.

Note:
We know that the nucleophiles have an extra pair of electrons to donate, that's why nucleophiles are regarded as the Lewis base and the electrophiles are always ready to accept a pair of electrons because of the presence of a vacant orbital, that's why electrophiles are regarded as the Lewis acid.