Question
Classify the following species into Lewis acids and Lewis bases and show how these act as Lewis acid/base:
(a) O– (b) F– (c) H+ (d) BCl3
Solution
(a) OH– can donate electron pair. Hence it is a Lewis base.
(b) F– can also donate electron pair. Hence it is a Lewis base.
(c) H+ can accept electron pair. Hence it is a Lewis acid.
(d) BCl3 is deficient in electrons. Hence it can accept electron pair and is, therefore, a Lewis acid.
