TOPIC 18

ACIDS AND BASES

18.1
Lewis Acids and Bases

By: Merinda Sautel

Alameda Int’l Jr/Sr High School
Lakewood, CO
msautel@jeffco.k12.co.us
 ESSENTIAL IDEA
The acid-base concept can be extended to
reactions that do not involve proton transfer.
NATURE OF SCIENCE (2.5)
Theories can be supported, falsified or replaced by new
theories – acid-base theories can be extended to a wider
field of applications by considering lone pairs of
electrons. Lewis theory doesn’t falsify Bronsted-Lowry
but extends it.
 INTERNATIONAL-MINDEDNESS

Acid-base theory has developed from

the ideas of people from different
parts of the world through
collaboration and competition.
.
 THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE
The same phenomenon can
sometimes be explored from different
perspectives, and explained by
different theories. For example, do we
judge competing theories by their
universality, simplicity or elegance?
 UNDERSTANDING/KEY IDEA
18.1.A

A Lewis acid is an electron lone

pair acceptor and a Lewis base is
an electron lone pair donor.
THREE MAIN TYPES
■Arrhenius Acid – produces H+ ions
■Arrhenius Base – produces OH- ions
■This is an early theory.

■Bronsted-Lowry Acid – proton donor

■Bronsted-Lowry Base – proton acceptor

■Lewis Acid – electron pair acceptor

■Lewis Base – electron pair donor
 GUIDANCE

Know the relationship between

Bronsted-Lowry and Lewis acids
and bases.
■All Bronsted-Lowry acids are Lewis acids
because they can accept a lone pair of
electrons.
■However, not all Lewis acids are Bronsted-
Lowry acids because they may not have an
H+ to donate.
■ All Bronsted-Lowry bases are Lewis bases
because they have a lone pair of electrons to
donate.
■ Not all Lewis bases are Bronsted-Lowry bases
because they don’t have to accept a proton to be
a Lewis base.
■ Bronsted-Lowry acids and bases are subsets of
Lewis acids and bases so the Lewis definition is a
broader definition.
■ Howtosmile.org
 UNDERSTANDING/KEY IDEA
18.1.B

When a Lewis base reacts with a

Lewis acid a coordinate bond is
formed.
 BF3 + NH3 ↔ F3BNH3
BF3 is trigonal planar with no lone pairs of
electrons. NH3 is trigonal pyramidal with one lone
pair of electrons.
NH3 donates both of its electrons to BF3. The
bond formed is a “dative” or coordinate covalent
bond because both electrons came from nitrogen.
NH3 is the Lewis base because it donates a pair of
electrons making BF3 the Lewis acid because it
accepts the lone pair of electrons.
 APPLICATION/SKILLS

Be able to apply the Lewis theory

to inorganic and organic
chemistry to identify the role of
the reacting species.
■ dlt.ncssm.edu dlt.ncssm.edu

Fe3+ + 6H2O → [Fe(H2O)6]3+

Fe3+ is the Lewis acid and H2O is the Lewis base.

 ▪ dlt.ncssm.edu

Cu2+ + 4NH3 → [Cu(NH3)4]2+

Cu2+ is the Lewis acid and NH3 is the Lewis base.

 UNDERSTANDING/KEY IDEA
18.1.C

A nucleophile is a Lewis base and

an electrophile is a Lewis acid.
■A nucleophile is an electron-rich species
that donates a lone pair to form a new
covalent bond in a reaction. (Lewis base)
■An electrophile is an electron-deficient
species that accepts a lone pair from
another reactant to form a new covalent
bond. (Lewis acid)
■The reactions are depicted using curly
arrows.
■Examples of nucleophiles (Lewis bases):
■OH-, NH3, Cl-
■Examples of electrophiles (Lewis acids):
■BF3, Cu2+, Br+, NO2+, (CH3)C+
 Citations
International Baccalaureate Organization. Chemistry Guide, First
assessment 2016. Updated 2015.
Brown, Catrin, and Mike Ford. Higher Level Chemistry. 2nd ed.
N.p.: Pearson Baccalaureate, 2014. Print.
ISBN 978 1 447 95975 5
eBook 978 1 447 95976 2

Most of the information found in this power point comes directly

from this textbook.

The power point has been made to directly complement the Higher
Level Chemistry textbook by Brown and Ford and is used for direct
instructional purposes only.