Question

Classify the following as Lewis acids or Lewis bases. (NOTE: Only ONE submission is allowed for this question.) (a) SO32- Lewis acid Lewis base (b) SO3 Lewis acid Lewis base (c) Mg2+ Lewis acid Lewis base (d) BeCl2 Lewis acid Lewis base

Answer 1

A.) Base B.) Acid C.) Acid D.) Acidic

Step-by-step explanation:

Lewis acid is a substance which accepts single or lone pair of electrons from other atoms or molecules to attain stability. That means Lewis acids are generally electron-pair acceptors.

Lewis base on the other hand is considered to be donor of electron-pairs. They are species that would react with Lewis acids in order to form a Lewis adduct

1. 
   `SO_(3) ^(2-)`is electron surplus, considering the loss of 2 protons in its oxidation state, which means it has enough to donate; it is a Lewis base.
2. 
   `SO_(3)` can only accept lone pairs to react, especially since sulphur is electron deficient. Hence the molecule is a Lewis acid.
3. 
   `Mg^(2+)`is clearly electron deficient and ready to accept electron pairs. it is therefore a Lewis acid.
4. 
   `BeCl_(2)` has not completed the octet rule and can therefore accept electrons by readily reacting with a strong Lewis base. It is therefore categorized as a Lewis acid.

Answer 2

Step-by-step explanation:

Lewis acid-base reaction involves the donation of lone pair electrons from base to acid.

The Lewis acid is the electron pair acceptor; the Lewis base is the electron pair donor.

(a) SO32- Lewis acid Lewis base

A Lewis base must contain at least one lone pair of electrons. All anions are typically Lewis bases.

(b) SO3 Lewis acid Lewis base

Lewis acids are electron pair acceptor, the sulfur atom in SO3 has only three electron regions - it is electron deficient, which makes SO3 Lewis acidic.

(c) Mg2+ Lewis acid Lewis base

Mg2+ is a cation which is an electron pair acceptor, and thus a Lewis acid.

(d) BeCl2 Lewis acid Lewis base

Lewis acids are electron pair acceptors. Since the central beryllium atom in BeCl2​ has four electrons around it, it still has room to accept more. BeCl2​ is a lewis acid.