In the fundamental chemical reaction , which chemical species acts by the mechanism of a Lewis acid? — Ionic Equilibrium Chemistry Question
Question
In the fundamental chemical reaction $I^- + I_2 \rightleftharpoons I_3^-$, which chemical species acts by the mechanism of a Lewis acid?
Answer: B
💡 Solution & Explanation
According to the Lewis acid-base mechanism, an acid is an electron-pair acceptor. In the formation of the triiodide ion, the iodide ion ($I^-$) donates an electron pair (acting as a Lewis base), while the neutral iodine molecule ($I_2$) accepts the electron pair into its empty antibonding orbital, thereby acting strictly as a Lewis acid.
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