Question

Which acids or bases do NOT give `"H"^(+)` upon dissolution?

Answer 1

I will give just a few reaction equations:

Explanation:

Acid plus metal:
`2H^+(aq) +Mg(s)->Mg^(2+)(aq) +H_2(g)`

Acid plus oxide:
`2H^+(aq) +FeO(s)->Fe^(2+)(aq) +H_2O(l)`

Acid plus ammonia:
`H^+(aq) +NH_3(g) ->NH_4^+(aq)`

Base plus oxide:
`2OH^(-) ( aq) +CO_2(g)->CO_3^(2-)(aq) +H_2O(l)`

Oxide plus oxide:
`CaO(s)+CO_2(g)->CaCO_3(s)`

But there are many more.

Answer 2

Most acids or bases that do NOT satisfy the Arrhenius definition fit these criteria.

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And thus, we consider Lewis bases/acids and Bronsted bases.

• `"AlCl"_3` is a Lewis acid; it accepts electron density into aluminum's empty `3p_z` nonbonding orbital.

• `"B"("OH")_3` is, most directly, a Lewis acid. Yes, I do mean acid. Why is it not a Lewis base? (As a sidenote, it also reacts with water, without dissociating `"OH"^(-)` into solution.)

• `"NH"_3` is a Lewis base, as it has a lone pair of electrons in nitrogen atom's filled slightly nonbonding orbital, making it an electron-pair donor. If it accepts a proton as a result, it is also a Bronsted base.

It hardly dissociates at all into `"H"^(+)` and `"NH"_2^(-)` in water, so it qualifies.

• `"CH"_3"CH"_2"NH"_2` is also a Lewis base, and by donating the lone pair of electrons, if it accepts a proton, it acts as a Bronsted base.

Bronsted acids don't answer your question; they donate protons to something else, and thus they must have protons to donate.