An acidbase reaction is a chemical reaction that occurs between an acid and a base.

Several concepts that provide alternative definitions for the reaction mechanisms involved and their application in solving related problems exist. Despite several differences in definitions, their importance becomes apparent as different methods of analysis when applied to acidbase reactions for gaseous or liquid species, or when acid or base character may be somewhat less apparent. The first of these scientific concepts of acids and bases was provided by the French chemist AntLavoisier's oxygen theory of acids
The first scientific concept of acids and bases was provided by Antoine Lavoisier circa 1776. Since Lavoisier's knowledge of strong acids was mainly restricted to oxoacids, such as HNO3 (nitric acid) and H2SO4 (sulfuric acid), which tend to contain central atoms in high oxidation states surrounded by oxygen, and since he was not aware of the true composition of the hydrohalic acids (HF, HCl, HBr, and HI), he defined acids in terms of their containing oxygen, which in fact he named from Greek words meaning "acid-former" (from the Greek (oxys) meaning "acid" or "sharp" and (geinomai) meaning "engender"). The Lavoisier definition was held as absolute truth for over 30 years, until the 1810 article and subsequent lectures by Sir Humphry Davy in which he proved the lack of oxygen in H2S, H2Te, and the hydrohalic acids. However, Davy failed to develop a new theory, concluding that "acidity does not depend upon any particular elementary substance, but upon peculiar arrangement of various substances". [2] One notable modification of oxygen theory was provided by Berzelius, who stated that acids are oxides of nonmetals while bases are oxides of metals.Antoine Lavoisierstrong acidsoxoacidsHNO3H2SO4oxidation stateshydrohalic acidsHFHClHBrHIoxygenGreekSir Humphry DavyH2SH2Te[2]Berzelius

oine Lavoisier, circa 1776.[1] Liebig's hydrogen theory of acids

This definition was proposed by Justus von Liebig circa 1838,[3] based on his extensive works on the chemical composition of organic acids. This finished the doctrinal shift from oxygen-based acids to hydrogen-based acids, started by Davy. According to Liebig, an acid is a hydrogen-containing substance in which the hydrogen could be replaced by a metal.[4] Liebig's definition, while completely empirical, remained in use for almost 50 years until the adoption of the Arrhenius definition.[5] [edit]Common acidbase theories [edit]Arrhenius

definition

Svante Arrhenius

The Arrhenius definition of acidbase reactions is a development of the hydrogen theory of acids, devised by Svante Arrhenius, which was used to provide a modern definition of acids and bases that followed from his work with Friedrich Wilhelm Ostwald in establishing the presence of ions inaqueous solution in 1884, and led to Arrhenius receiving the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1903 for "recognition of the extraordinary services... rendered to the advancement of chemistry by his electrolytic theory of dissociation".[6] As defined by Arrhenius, acidbase reactions are characterized by Arrhenius acids, whichdissociate in aqueous solution to form hydrogen ions (H+),[6] and Arrhenius bases, which form hydroxide (OH) ions. More recent IUPAC recommendations now suggest the newer term "hydronium"[7] be used in favor of the older accepted term "oxonium"[8] to illustrate reaction mechanisms such as those defined in the BrnstedLowry and solvent system definitions more clearly, with the Arrhenius definition serving as a simple general outline of acidbase character.[6]The Arrhenius definition can be summarised as "Arrhenius acids form hydrogen ions in aqueous solution with Arrhenius bases forming hydroxide ions." The universal aqueous acidbase definition of the Arrhenius concept is described as the formation of water from hydrogen and hydroxide ions, or hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions from the dissociation of an acid and base in aqueous solution:

H+ (aq) + OH (aq)

H2O

(In modern times, the use of H+ is regarded as a shorthand for H3O+, since it is now known that the bare proton H+ does not exist as a free species in solution.)[citation
needed]

This leads to the definition that in Arrhenius acidbase reactions, a salt and water is formed from the reaction between an acid and a base.[6]In other words, this is a neutralization reaction.
acid+ + base salt + water

The positive ion from a base forms a salt with the negative ion from an acid. For example, two moles of the base sodium hydroxide (NaOH) can combine with one mole of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) to form two moles of water and one mole of sodium sulfate.
2 NaOH + H2SO4 2 H2O + Na2SO4

The Arrhenius definitions of acidity and alkalinity are restricted to aqueous solutions, and refer to the concentration of the solvent ions. Under this definition, pure H2SO4 or HCl dissolved in toluene are not acidic, and molten KOH and solutions of sodium amide in liquid ammonia are not alkaline.

Solvent system definition One of the limitations of Arrhenius definition was its reliance on water solutions. Edward C. Franklin studied the acidbase reactions in liquid ammonia in 1905 and pointed out the similarities to water-based Arrhenius theory, and Albert F. O. Germann, working with liquid COCl2, generalized Arrhenius definition to cover aprotic solvents and formulated the solvent system theory in 1925.[9] Germann pointed out that in many solvents there is a certain concentration of a positive species, solvonium (earlier lyonium) cations and negative species, solvate (earlier lyate) anions, in equilibrium with the neutral solvent molecules. For example, water and ammonia undergo such dissociation into hydronium and hydroxide, and ammonium and amide, respectively:

2 H2O H3O+ + OH 2 NH3 NH+ 4 + NH

2

Some aprotic systems also undergo such dissociation, such as dinitrogen tetroxide into nitrosonium and nitrate, antimony trichloride into dichloroantimonium and tetrachloroantimonate, and phosgene into chlorocarboxonium and chloride. N2O4
3

NO+ + NO

2 SbCl3 SbCl+ 2 + SbCl

4

COCl2

COCl+ + Cl A solute causing an increase in the concentration of the solvonium ions and a decrease in the solvate ions is defined as an acid and one causing the reverse is defined as a base. Thus, in liquid ammonia, KNH2 (supplying NH 2) is a strong base, and NH4NO3 (supplying NH+ 4) is a strong acid. In liquid sulfur dioxide (SO2), thionyl compounds (supplying SO2+) behave as acids, and sulfites (supplying SO2 3) behave as bases. The non-aqueous acidbase reactions in liquid ammonia are similar to the reactions in water:

2 NaNH2 (base) + Zn(NH2)2 (amphiphilic amide) Na2[Zn(NH2)4] 2 NH4I (acid) + Zn(NH2)2 (amphiphilic amide) [Zn(NH3)4)]I2 Nitric acid can be a base in liquid sulfuric acid: HNO3 (base) + 2 H2SO4 NO+ + 2 + H3O + 2 HSO
4

The unique strength of this definition shows in describing the reactions in aprotic solvents, for example in liquid N2O4: AgNO3 (base) + NOCl (acid) N2O4 (solvent) + AgCl (salt) Since solvent-system definition depends on the solvent as well as on the compound itself, the same compound can change its role depending on the choice of the solvent. Thus, HClO4 is a strong acid in water, a weak acid in acetic acid, and a weak base in fluorosulfonic acid. This was seen as both a strength and a weakness, since some substances, such as SO3 and NH3 were felt to be acidic or basic on their own right. On the other hand, solvent system theory was criticized as too general to be useful; it was felt that there was something intrinsically acidic about

hydrogen compounds, not shared by non-hydrogenic solvonium salts.[2]

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