Question #b39a6

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Question #b39a6

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Answer 1 · 2014-12-30T15:29:18

The ammonium ion, ${NH}_{4}^{+}$ $"NH"_4^+$ , can act as an electrophile.

Explanation:

An electrophile is a species that accepts a pair of electrons to form a new covalent bond.

This should sound familiar. It is the definition of a Lewis acid!

In the reaction ${NH}_{4}^{+} + {OH}^{-} \to {NH}_{3} + H_{2} O$ $"NH"_4^+ + "OH"^(-) → "NH"_3 + "H"_2"O"$ , the ammonium ion accepts an electron pair from the hydroxide ion.

At the moment of collision between the two ions, a lone pair of electrons on the hydroxide ion forms a bond to the $H$ $"H"$ on the ammonium ion.

Simultaneously, the electron pair on the other side of the $H$ $"H"$ atom breaks and forms a lone pair on the $N$ $"N"$ atom.

The electrophilic atom in the ${NH}_{4}^{+}$ $"NH"_4^+$ is the $H$ $"H"$ atom.

The ammonium is accepting electrons, so we usually call it a Lewis acid rather than an electrophile

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