In contrast, simple alkenes do not have this electrophile character and therefore do not undergo electrophilic addition reactions. Instead, simple alkanes typically undergo substitution reactions, where one hydrogen atom is replaced by another group or atom.
A nucleophilic addition reaction involves the addition of a nucleophile, which is an electron-rich species, to a molecule. Alkenes do not undergo nucleophilic addition reactions because the carbon-carbon double bond is not electrophilic enough to attract nucleophiles. Instead, alkenes undergo electrophilic addition reactions, in which an electrophile, which is an electron-poor species, attacks the double bond.
In contrast, simple alkanes, which are composed of carbon and hydrogen atoms only, do not have any functional groups that can undergo nucleophilic addition reactions. Therefore, they do not undergo any nucleophilic addition reactions.
