Final answer:
The correct name for the compound BF3 is boron trifluoride. It is composed of a boron atom with three covalent bonds to fluorine atoms, and it acts as a powerful Lewis acid due to its incomplete octet. Option c.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct name for the compound BF3 is boron trifluoride option c. This compound consists of a central boron atom covalently bonded to three fluorine atoms. Boron has three valence electrons and each fluorine has seven, making a total of 24 valence electrons to consider when drawing the Lewis structure. Although boron is capable of forming three covalent bonds, it does not attain an octet in this configuration. However, it has a strong tendency to accept electrons due to its incomplete octet, making BF3 a powerful Lewis acid.
As a point of clarification, other names mentioned such as monoboron trifluoride, beryllium trifluoride, or boron fluoride are either incorrect or not commonly used. Furthermore, when BF3 reacts with a fluoride ion, it can form BF4-, which completes the octet for boron. This illustrates that structures with incomplete octets like BF3 are less stable and less common compared to those with complete octets.
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