ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Nitrilium

Okay, so you know how when you mix ingredients together, sometimes you get a new thing? Kind of like how when you mix red and blue paint, you get purple? Well, when scientists mix some other chemicals together, they can create something new called a nitrilium.

Nitriliums are very special because they have a positively charged nitrogen atom in them. Think of it like a little happy face with an extra special bump on its nose. This bump makes it different from other things and gives it special powers.

One of those powers is that it can be used to make other important chemicals. Like how a building block toy can be used to make a really cool castle, nitriliums can be used to make other things that scientists need for their experiments.

But nitriliums can also be dangerous if they are not handled carefully. Like how you need to be careful when you use sharp scissors, scientists need to take extra careful steps to make sure the nitriliums don't hurt them or other people.

So, in summary, a nitrilium is a special new thing that scientists can make by mixing chemicals together. It has a little bump on its nose that makes it special, and it can help scientists make important chemicals. However, it can also be dangerous if not handled carefully, so scientists need to be very careful when working with nitriliums.