on Stre - DH Solution The strength of a nucleophile depends on how easily it can donate its lone pair of electrons (for a neutral nucleophile like H 2 O) or how easily it can give away its negative charge (for a negatively charged species like Cl - ) to a center of positive charge. In terms of electronegativity, Fis a highly electronegative atom followed by O, then comes N and then C. So it is easier for C to share its electrons followed by N then O then F. In other words the more is the basicity of a nucleophile the more is its strength as a nucleophile. All nucleophiles are lewis bases. The basicity reduces as we move from left to right in a period. The arrangement of elements in decreasing order of basicity is C>N>O>F Hence this should be the decreasing order of strength of these atoms as a nucleophile. Likewise if we compare the given options, the arrangement of these groups in increasing order of strength of nucleophile is as shown -F<-OH<-CN<-C 2 H 6 (C 2 H 6 - ethyl) .