Question
Question: Give reasons: A. Why does boron trifluoride behave as Lewis acid? B. \[C{O_2}\] is a gas, while ...
Give reasons:
A. Why does boron trifluoride behave as Lewis acid?
B. CO2 is a gas, while SiO2 is a solid at room temperature
Solution
The inorganic compound BF3stands for boron trifluoride. In moist air, this pungent, colourless poisonous gas produces white gases. It's a useful Lewis acid and a flexible boron compound building stone. The term "electron deficient" is also used to describe BF3, which is supported by its exothermic reactivity against Lewis bases.
Complete answer:
Any substance that can accept a pair of nonbonding electrons, such as the H⁺ ion, is referred to as a Lewis acid. A Lewis acid, in other words, is an electron-pair acceptor. A Lewis base is any element that can donate a pair of nonbonding electrons, such as the OH⁻ ion. As a result, a Lewis base is an electron-pair donor.
Since it is an electron-deficient species that can accept electron pairs, boron trifluoride BF₃ behaves as a Lewis acid. We can see that the Boron structure is 1s22s22p1 and that an empty p-orbital exists, indicating that mean BF3 has a propensity to embrace a lone pair, indicating that BF is Lewis acid.
Because of what are known as "van der Waals forces" or "London forces," each molecule in CO₂ is drawn to other molecules. Van der Waals forces are a weak form of intermolecular force that attracts transient and induced dipoles. Carbon dioxide melts at just over -56.6 degrees Celsius and Van der Waals forces can be broken with no energy.
Per silicon atom in SiO2 is covalently bound to four oxygen atoms. An oxygen atom has two silicon atoms bound to it. This results in a massive tetrahedral arrangement, similar to that of a diamond. The lattice is very strong and all of the atoms are bound by covalent bonds. The melting point of SiO2is 1713 °C, demonstrating this.
Hence it is a solid in room temperature.
Note:
Silicon dioxide, also known as silica, is a silicon oxide with the chemical formula SiO2. It is most often found as quartz in nature and in various living species. Silica is a significant component of sand in many parts of the world.