Question

Do you expect the carbon hydrides of the type (${C_n}{H_{2n + 2}}$) to act as a Lewis acid or base? Justify your answer.

Answer 1

Hint : ${C_n}{H_{2n + 2}}$
As we know that the carbon hydrides are basically electron precise compounds and possess a complete octet. We also know that Lewis acid acts as an electron acceptor and Lewis base can act as electron donor.

Complete Step By Step Answer:
We already know that the Carbon hydrides are the chemical compounds which are composed of hydrogen atoms and carbon atoms. Some common elements of group 14 are carbon, silicon, germanium, tin, lead and flerovium.
These carbon hydrides are generally electron precise hydrides. They contain sufficient valence electrons to form covalent bonds. We also know that they can neither gain electrons nor lose electrons and hence, they neither act as a lewis acid nor do they act as lewis bases.
Because Lewis acid, as we know, is a chemical species that contains an empty orbital which can accept an electron pair from a Lewis base so as to result in the formation of a Lewis acid. Whereas a Lewis base is that base which possesses a completely filled orbital containing an electron part which is not involved in bonding but may form a dative bond with a Lewis acid so as to form a Lewis adduct.
Therefore, we can say that the carbon hydrides of the type ${C_n}{H_{2n + 2}}$ cannot act as Lewis acid or base.

Additional Information:
The tetrahydride series has the chemical formula $X{H_4}$ , with X representing any of the carbon family. Methane is commonly the result of the decomposition of organic matter and is a greenhouse gas. The types of hydrides are generally unstable, poisonous metal hydrides. They have a pyramidal structure and as such are not polar molecules like other p-block hydrides.

Note :
Always remember that the Lewis acid always accepts electrons and Lewis bases always donate the electron pairs. Also, the hydrides are electron precise compounds and thus they never act as Lewis acid or base.