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Chapter 2: Q18P (page 119)

Which is a stronger base: cyanide ion or fluoride ion? Give pKb values (without looking them up) to support your choice.

Short Answer

Expert verified

The stronger base is the cyanide ion.

pKb(CN-) = 4.69

pKb(F-) = 10.80

Step by step solution

01

The Acids and Bases.

Acid-base reactions are very quick. They react as soon as they are added to each other in a container. Here, acids release proton that is accepted by bases.

02

The pKb values and basicity.

The lower the value, and the higher the value, the stronger the basicity.

03

The stronger base.

A strong acid contains a weak conjugate base and weak acid carries a strong conjugate base.

The same thing goes for bases.

Out of the given ions; the cyanide ion is a stronger base because its conjugate acid is weaker than the latter.

Acids;

pKa(HCN) = 9.31

pKa(HF) = 3.20

HF is the stronger acid.

Bases:

pKb(CN-) = 4.69

pKb(F-) = 10.80

CN-ion is the stronger base.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Label the reactants in these acid-base reactions as Lewis acids (electrophiles) or Lewis bases (nucleophiles). Use curved arrows to show the movement of electron pairs in the reactions.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)

(g)

(h)

(i)

Which of the following pure compounds can form hydrogen bonds? Which can form hydrogen bonds with water? Which ones do you expect to be soluble in water?

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)

(g)

(h)

(i)

(j)

(k)

(l)

Draw a Lewis structure, and classify each of the following compounds.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)

(g)

(h)

(i)

(j)

(k)

(l)

(m)

(n)

(o)

Predict which compound in each pair has the higher boiling point. Explain your prediction.

(a)

CH3CH2CH2OCH3 or CH3CH2CH2(OH)CH3

(b)

CH3CH2CH2CH2CH3 or CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH3

(c)

CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH3 or (CH2)3CHCH2CH2CH3

(d)

CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH3 or CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2Cl

(e)

(f)

The N-F bond is more polar than N-H bond, but NF3 has smaller dipole moment than NH3. Explain the curious result.

NH3: µ= 1.5 D, NF3: µ= 0.2D
See all solutions

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