Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry

Substitution reaction: A reaction in which any part of a molecule is replaced (substituted).

Some Common Substitution Reaction Types
The moiety in red is substituted by the moiety in blue


Williamson ether synthesis, an S_N2 reaction.


Friedel-Crafts acylation, an electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction.


Bromination of methane, a photochemical free radical halogenation reaction.


Fischer esterification, a nucleophilic carbonyl substitution reaction.