A reaction between ammonia and boron trifluoride is given below:

: NH3 + BF3 → H3N :BF3

Identify the acid and base in this reaction. Which theory explains it? What is the hybridisation of B and N in the reactants?

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1 Answers

Although BF3 does not have a proton but acts as Lewis acid as it is an electron deficient compound. It reacts with NH3 by accepting the lone pair of electrons from NH3 and completes its octet. The reaction can be represented by

BF3 + :NH3 →BF3 ← :NH3

Lewis electronic theory of acids and bases can explain it. Boron in BF3 is sp2 hybridised, whereas N in NH3 is sp3 hybridised.

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