Lewis Super acid

 What is in the News ?

• Researchers at the Paderborn University, Germany have reported being able to make a unique class of catalysts – used in chemistry to accelerate reactions – called “Lewis super-acids” 
• These can be used to break strong chemical bonds and speed up reactions.

Super Acids and Lewis Acids

• In chemistry, a super acid (according to the original definition) is an acid with an acidity greater than that of 100% pure sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄),^[1] which has a Hammett acidity function (H₀) of −12. 
• A Lewis acid is any substance, such as a Hydrogen ion (H+) that can accept a pair of nonbonding electrons. In other words, a Lewis acid is an electron-pair acceptor.
• A Lewis base is any substance, such as the OH- ion, that can donate a pair of nonbonding electrons. A Lewis base is therefore an electron-pair donor.

 Advantages

• Being able to make these super acids, enables non-biodegradable fluorinated hydrocarbons, similar to Teflon, and possibly even climate-damaging greenhouse gases, such as Sulphur hexafluoride, to be converted back into sustainable chemicals.

Practice Questions for Prelims

Mains Practice Question

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