Lewis Acids and Bases Quiz

Questions and Answers

Provide an example of a Lewis base and explain why it is a Lewis base.

An example of a Lewis base is NH3 because it can donate its lone pair of electrons, making it capable of forming a dative bond with a Lewis acid to form a Lewis adduct.

What is a Lewis acid?

A Lewis acid is a chemical species that contains an empty orbital capable of accepting an electron pair from a Lewis base to form a Lewis adduct.

Define a Lewis base.

A Lewis base is any species that has a filled orbital containing an electron pair which is not involved in bonding but may form a dative bond with a Lewis acid to form a Lewis adduct.

Identify a substance mentioned in the text that is a Lewis acid and explain why it is classified as such.

<p>Trimethylborane (Me3B) is a Lewis acid because it is capable of accepting a lone pair, making it suitable for forming a dative bond with a Lewis base to form a Lewis adduct.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describe the formation of a Lewis adduct and provide an example from the text.

<p>In a Lewis adduct, the Lewis acid and base share an electron pair furnished by the Lewis base, forming a dative bond. For example, in the reaction between NH3 and Me3B, a lone pair from NH3 forms a dative bond with the empty orbital of Me3B to form the adduct NH3 BMe3.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Lewis Acids and Bases

Lewis Bases

A Lewis base is an electron pair donor, capable of forming a covalent bond with an electron acceptor (Lewis acid).
Example: Ammonia (NH3) is a Lewis base because it has a lone pair of electrons that can be donated to form a covalent bond.
In ammonia, the nitrogen atom has a lone pair of electrons that can be shared with a Lewis acid.

Lewis Acids

A Lewis acid is an electron pair acceptor, capable of forming a covalent bond with an electron donor (Lewis base).
Example: Boron trifluoride (BF3) is a Lewis acid because it has an incomplete octet and can accept an electron pair to form a covalent bond.

Lewis Adduct Formation

A Lewis adduct is a compound formed by the reaction of a Lewis acid with a Lewis base.
Example: The reaction of ammonia (NH3) with boron trifluoride (BF3) forms a Lewis adduct, H3NBF3.
In this reaction, the nitrogen atom of ammonia donates a lone pair of electrons to the boron atom of boron trifluoride, forming a covalent bond.