Question

What is the Lewis definition of an acid and a base? Provide one example equation of an acid-base reaction (other than the auto-ionization of a solvent) and indicate the acid and the base in your example. The correct answer will provide the Lewis definition of an acid and a base in a complete, grammatically correct sentence. In addition, a sample balanced equation must be provided which indicate the Lewis acid and the Lewis base clearly.

Answer 1

AlCl3 + Cl^- --------> AlCl4^-

AlCl3 is the lewis acid ( electron pair acceptor)

Cl^- is the lewis base (electron pair donor)

Step-by-step explanation:

According to Lewis theory of acid-base reactions, Lewis bases donate pairs of electrons and Lewis acids accept pairs of electrons. A Lewis acid is therefore any substance, such as the H+ ion, that can accept a pair of nonbonding electrons. This simply means that, a Lewis acid is an electron-pair acceptor while a Lewis base is an electron pair donor. A Lewis acid is a contains an empty orbital which is capable of accepting an electron pair from a Lewis base having an orbital filled with a non bonding electron pair.

An example of acid base reaction in the Lewis sense is

AlCl3 + Cl^- --------> AlCl4^-

AlCl3 is the lewis acid ( electron pair acceptor)

Cl^- is the lewis base (electron pair donor)