How do protic and aprotic solvents differ in their effects?
Protic solvents, which contain hydrogen atoms capable of forming hydrogen bonds, can donate protons to the reaction mixture. This can accelerate reactions where proton transfer is a key step. Aprotic solvents, on the other hand, do not donate protons but can still stabilize charged intermediates through dipole interactions. The choice between protic and aprotic solvents depends on the specific catalytic reaction and the nature of the intermediates and transition states involved.
