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Topic: conjugate acids  (Read 5237 times)

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Offline Monium101

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conjugate acids
« on: June 28, 2014, 06:13:14 PM »
When given an molecule such as CH3CH2OH, how would you draw out its conjugate acid with the arrows indicating where electrons start and are distributed to plus the new bond that would be formed??!

For example, I was asked to write an equation showing NH3 reacting as an acid with CH3O- SO initially I wrote it this equation
NH3+CH3O-  :lequil: NH4+ + CH3OH but that is incorrect because instead of NH4, it's -NH2, why is that?? Any help would be awesome, thanks :)
« Last Edit: June 28, 2014, 06:32:36 PM by Monium101 »

Offline kriggy

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Re: conjugate acids
« Reply #1 on: June 28, 2014, 06:50:01 PM »
The conjugate pairs are basicaly the acid and base with one proton moved between them.

The equation you wrote is wrong because you have two more protons on the right side.
It is
NH3 + CH3O-  :lequil: NH2- + CH3OH

Its because methoxy anion is strong base which is able to deprotonate amonia.

So back to your 1st question, are you familiar with brondsted acid/base theory? I think reading this might help you answer your qustion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conjugate_acid

Offline Monium101

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Re: conjugate acids
« Reply #2 on: June 28, 2014, 07:50:21 PM »
Yeah, I know I'm familiar with it as far as knowing that bronsted acids more likely to donate a proton whereas the bases would accept one. So if an acid is species that typically would donate a proton, its conjugate base would accept a proton correct and for bases as if typically accepts a proton, its  conjugate acid would end up losing a proton?

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