Do you expect the carbon hydrides of the type (C n H 2n + 2 ) to act as ‘Lewis’ acid or base? Justify your answer.

Question

Philoid · Accepted Answer

For carbon hydrides of type C_nH_2n+2, the following hydrides are possible for

n=1, CH₄

n=2, C₂H₆

The hydride acts as Lewis acid only when the hydride is deficit of electrons and then only it will have the tendency to accept electrons.

Taking C₂H₆ as an example,

the total number of electrons are 14 and the total covalent bonds are seven. Hence, the bonds are regular 2e^- -2 centred bonds.

Hence, hydride C₂H₆ has sufficient electrons to be represented by a conventional Lewis structure. Therefore, Ethane is an electron-precise hydride, having all atoms with complete octets. Thus, it can neither donate nor accept electrons to act as a Lewis acid or Lewis base.

Do you expect the carbon hydrides of the type (CnH2n + 2) to act as ‘Lewis’ acid or base? Justify your answer.

Do you expect the carbon hydrides of the type (C_nH_{2n + 2}) to act as ‘Lewis’ acid or base? Justify your answer.