What happens in a Lewis acid-base reaction?
A. An acid donates an [tex]H^{+}[/tex], and a base donates electrons.
B. An acid donates an [tex]H^{+}[/tex], and a base accepts an [tex]H^{+}[/tex].
C. An acid donates an [tex]H^{+}[/tex], and a base donates an [tex]OH^{-}[/tex].
D. An acid accepts an electron pair from a base.
Answer (2)
In a Lewis acid-base reaction, a Lewis acid accepts an electron pair from a Lewis base. This is indicated in Option D, which correctly describes the interaction according to Lewis definitions of acids and bases. Therefore, the chosen answer is D.
;
A Lewis acid accepts an electron pair.
A Lewis base donates an electron pair.
Option D correctly describes this interaction.
The correct answer is D .
Explanation
Understanding the Question The question asks about what happens in a Lewis acid-base reaction. We need to identify the correct description of the roles of Lewis acids and Lewis bases.
Recalling the Lewis Definition According to the Lewis definition:
A Lewis acid is an electron pair acceptor.
A Lewis base is an electron pair donor.
Analyzing the Options Now, let's examine the given options:
A. An acid donates an H + , and a base donates electrons. (Incorrect: Acids don't donate H + in Lewis definition, and bases donate electrons.)
B. An acid donates an H + , and a base accepts an H + . (Incorrect: This is the Bronsted-Lowry definition, not the Lewis definition.)
C. An acid donates an H + , and a base donates an O H − . (Incorrect: This is related to Arrhenius definition, not the Lewis definition.)
D. An acid accepts an electron pair from a base. (Correct: This matches the Lewis definition of an acid.)
Conclusion Therefore, the correct answer is D .
Examples
Lewis acid-base reactions are fundamental in chemistry and have many real-world applications. For example, the reaction between boron trifluoride ( B F 3 ) and ammonia ( N H 3 ) is a Lewis acid-base reaction where B F 3 acts as the Lewis acid (electron acceptor) and N H 3 acts as the Lewis base (electron donor). This concept is also crucial in understanding catalysis, organic synthesis, and material science, where electron transfer plays a key role in chemical transformations and the formation of new compounds. Understanding Lewis acid-base chemistry helps in designing more efficient chemical processes and developing new materials with specific properties.
