Electron Displacement Effects in Covalent Bonds

Organic molecules are not static structures. The electrons that form covalent bonds can shift position, either permanently or temporarily, in response to nearby atoms, groups, or approaching reagents. Understanding these displacements is essential for predicting how and where a molecule will react.

The electron displacement in an organic molecule may take place either in the ground state under the influence of an atom or a substituent group, or in the presence of an appropriate attacking reagent. These two broad categories give rise to fundamentally different effects. …