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Consider the reaction BF3+NH3F3 BNH3

Short Answer

Expert verified
BF3 and NH3 react to form a coordinate covalent bond, resulting in F3BNH3.

Step by step solution

01

Understand the Reaction

The given reaction is a typical example of a Lewis acid-base reaction. In this reaction, boron trifluoride BF3 acts as a Lewis acid (electron pair acceptor), and ammonia NH3 acts as a Lewis base (electron pair donor).
02

Identify the Electron Pair Donor and Acceptor

In the reaction BF3+NH3F3BNH3, boron in BF3 has an incomplete octet and can accept an electron pair. The nitrogen atom in NH3 has a lone pair of electrons that it can donate to the boron atom.
03

Form the Coordinate Covalent Bond

The lone pair on the nitrogen atom in NH3 is donated to the boron atom in BF3, forming a coordinate covalent bond. This creates the adduct F3BNH3, where nitrogen now shares its lone pair with boron.
04

Write the Product

The final product of the reaction is F3BNH3, which is the stabilized adduct with a complete octet around the boron atom. This new compound has a more stable electronic configuration.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Electron Pair Donor
In a Lewis acid-base reaction, the electron pair donor is the substance that provides a pair of electrons to form a bond. In the reaction between boron trifluoride BF3 and ammonia NH3, ammonia serves as the electron pair donor. The nitrogen atom in NH3 has a lone pair of electrons that is not involved in bonding with hydrogen atoms. This lone pair is free to be shared with other atoms, making it an ideal electron pair donor.

  • Ammonia NH3 has a stable molecular structure with a lone pair of electrons.
  • The ability of nitrogen to donate this pair differentiates ammonia as a Lewis base.
  • Donating its electron pair allows ammonia to bond with electron-deficient atoms like boron in BF3.
In this context, the donation of the electron pair from nitrogen to boron completes the bonding requirements, compensating for boron's electron deficiency.
Electron Pair Acceptor
The electron pair acceptor in a Lewis acid-base reaction is the component that receives an electron pair to form a bond. In the reaction BF3+NH3F3BNH3, boron trifluoride BF3 acts as the electron pair acceptor.

The reason BF3 accepts electrons lies in the boron atom's electronic structure:
  • Boron has three valence electrons and forms three covalent bonds with fluorine in BF3, leaving it with an incomplete octet.
  • Due to its electron deficiency, boron eagerly accepts a lone pair of electrons from a donor like NH3.
By accepting the electron pair, boron fulfills its tendency to achieve a stable electronic configuration, resulting in the formation of a more stable compound.
Coordinate Covalent Bond
A coordinate covalent bond, also known as a dative bond, occurs when both electrons in a bond originate from the same atom. In the interaction between BF3 and NH3, the coordinate bond is vital. Here, the nitrogen atom in NH3 donates a lone pair of electrons to the electron-deficient boron in BF3.

This process can be broken down into the following steps:
  • The lone pair on nitrogen provides the two electrons that enter a shared electron environment with boron.
  • The donating atom, nitrogen, effectively becomes part of the new molecule F3BNH3, without changing its oxidation state.
  • This type of bond is significant because it stabilizes molecules and complexes with deficient atoms, leading to the formation of stable compounds.
In summary, a coordinate covalent bond represents a typical bond formation mechanism in Lewis acid-base reactions, marked by one atom furnishing both bonding electrons.
Incomplete Octet
In chemical bonding, an incomplete octet refers to atoms that do not have eight electrons surrounding them. This concept is crucial to understanding the behavior of some Lewis acids like boron trifluoride BF3.

Here are key aspects of the incomplete octet:
  • Boron, in BF3, possesses only six electrons through its bonds with fluorine, making it electron-deficient.
  • An incomplete octet makes boron a perfect electron pair acceptor, as it seeks additional electrons to achieve stability.
By reacting with an electron pair donor such as NH3, boron can complete its octet through the formation of a new bond. This interaction and property of having an incomplete octet elevate boron's reactivity and propensity to form Lewis acid-base adducts.

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