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Chapter 15: Problem 106

Ammonia \(\left(\mathrm{NH}_{3}\right)\) can act as a base in water. (a) Suppose methane \(\left(\mathrm{CH}_{4}\right)\) could also act as a base in water. Write a chemical equation to show this. (b) In fact, methane cannot act as a base. Why not? (Hint: One of the products you drew violates an important rule for carbon.) (c) By comparing \(\mathrm{NH}_{3}\) to \(\mathrm{CH}_{4}\), what can you say must exist on a species for it to serve as a Bronsted-Lowry base?

Short Answer

Expert verified
(a) If methane were to act as a base in water, the chemical equation would be: \(CH_4 + H_2O \rightarrow CH_5^+ + OH^-\). (b) However, methane cannot act as a base because the methonium ion (CH5+) violates the octet rule for carbon, making it highly unstable. (c) Comparing NH3 and CH4, the necessary property for a species to serve as a Bronsted-Lowry base is the presence of lone pair electrons that can be donated to form a bond with a hydrogen ion (H+).

Step by step solution

01

1. Write a chemical equation for methane acting as a base

To write a chemical equation showing methane acting as a base in water, we need to show CH4 accepting a hydrogen ion (H+) from water. This results in the formation of a Methonium ion (CH5+) and Hydroxide ion (OH-): \[ CH_4 + H_2O \rightarrow CH_5^+ + OH^- \]
02

2. Explain why methane cannot act as a base

Methane (CH4) cannot act as a base because the product, Methonium ion (CH5+) is highly unstable and violates the octet rule for carbon. The octet rule states that elements prefer to have a stable electron configuration with eight electrons in their valence shell. In CH5+, the carbon atom has 10 electrons in its valence shell which is beyond the octet rule, making it an unstable and improbable species to form.
03

3. Identify the necessary property for a species to serve as a Bronsted-Lowry base

Comparing NH3 (which can act as a base) to CH4, the key difference is the presence of lone pair electrons on the Nitrogen atom in NH3. When Ammonia (NH3) acts as a base, it donates these lone pair electrons to form a bond with a hydrogen ion (H+). For a species to serve as a Bronsted-Lowry base, it must have lone pair electrons that can be donated to form a bond with a hydrogen ion (H+).

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