SN1 vs. SN2 - 4 | Alkyl Halides - Nucleophilic Substitutions

Organic Chemistry 1 - SN1 vs. SN2 - 4

Which solvents favor SN1 reactions and which favor SN2 reactions?

CH3CN,   acetone (CH3)2C=O,   CH3COOH,   CH3CH2OH,   Et2O,    DMSO (CH3)2S=O,    H2O

Polar protic solvents favor the SN1 mechanism while polar aprotic solvents favor the SN2 mechanism.

Polar protic solvents: CH3COOH, CH3CH2OH, H2O   ⇒   SN1 reactions

Polar aprotic solvents: CH3CN, acetone, Et2O, DMSO   ⇒   SN2 reactions