In the mechanism of the SN2 reaction, which of the following statements is true?

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Q: In the mechanism of the SN2 reaction, which of the following statements is true?

Solution: In an SN2 reaction, the nucleophile attacks the substrate from the side opposite to the leaving group, leading to a backside attack.

Steps: 5

Step 1: Understand what an SN2 reaction is. It is a type of chemical reaction where one molecule replaces another.
Step 2: Identify the key players in the reaction: the nucleophile (the attacking molecule) and the substrate (the molecule being attacked).
Step 3: Recognize that the leaving group is the part of the substrate that will be replaced.
Step 4: Learn that in an SN2 reaction, the nucleophile approaches the substrate from the side opposite to the leaving group.
Step 5: Understand that this approach is called a 'backside attack' because the nucleophile comes in from the back side of the substrate.