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Explain why C6H6 is a Lewis base, but not a Bronsted Lowry or Arrhenius base.

User Jantox
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Answer:

C6H6, also known as benzene, is a Lewis base because it can donate a pair of electrons to form a coordinate covalent bond with a Lewis acid. A Lewis base is defined as any substance that can donate a pair of electrons to form a coordinate covalent bond.

However, benzene is not a Bronsted-Lowry base because it does not have a hydrogen ion (H+) to donate. A Bronsted-Lowry base is defined as any substance that can donate a hydrogen ion (H+).

Benzene is also not an Arrhenius base because it does not produce hydroxide ions (OH-) when dissolved in water. An Arrhenius base is defined as any substance that produces hydroxide ions (OH-) when dissolved in water.

Step-by-step explanation:

There are different definitions of what a base is. Three common definitions are the Lewis, Bronsted-Lowry, and Arrhenius definitions.

According to the Lewis definition, a base is any substance that can donate a pair of electrons to form a bond. Benzene (C6H6) can do this, so it is considered a Lewis base.

The Bronsted-Lowry definition says that a base is any substance that can donate a hydrogen ion (H+). Benzene does not have a hydrogen ion to donate, so it is not considered a Bronsted-Lowry base.

The Arrhenius definition says that a base is any substance that produces hydroxide ions (OH-) when dissolved in water. Benzene does not produce hydroxide ions when dissolved in water, so it is not considered an Arrhenius base.

User Matkurek
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