HSAB theory and its applications

Question 1

What does the Irving-Williams series tell you?

Answer 1

the relative stability of the complexes formed by metals

Question 2

What is the order of stability of M²⁺ complexes according to the Irving-Williams series?

Answer 2

Ba < Sr < Ca < Mg < Mn < Fe < Co < Ni < Cu > Zn

Question 3

Which M²⁺ has the strongest complexes?

Answer 3

Cu²⁺

Question 4

What happens along the Irving-William series?

Answer 4

The ionic radius gets smaller

Question 5

Why does the stability increase as the ionic radius gets smaller?

Answer 5

The binding of ligand to metal gets tighter and feels more of the effective nuclear charge

Question 6

What metals are metals in a complex able to be displaced by?

Answer 6

metals which are higher up on the series than itself

Question 7

What can lewis acids and bases be classed as?

Answer 7

Hard or soft

Question 8

What type of bases do hard acids prefer?

Answer 8

Hard bases

Question 9

What type of bases do soft acids prefer?

Answer 9

Soft bases

Question 10

What is the atomic or ionic radius like on a hard atom?

Answer 10

Small

Question 11

What is the atomic or ionic radius like on a soft atom?

Answer 11

Large

Question 12

What is the oxidation state like on a hard atom?

Answer 12

High

Question 13

What is the oxidation state like on a soft atom?

Answer 13

Low

Question 14

What is the polarisability like on a hard atom?

Answer 14

Low

Question 15

What is the polarisability like on a soft atom?

Answer 15

High

Question 16

What is polarisability?

Answer 16

How much does an ion change its shape when interacting with another charge

Question 17

What is electronegativity like on a hard base?

Answer 17

High

Question 18

What is electronegativity like on a soft base?

Answer 18

Low

Question 19

What is ion solvation like for a hard atom?

Answer 19

High

Question 20

What is ion solvation like for a soft atom?

Answer 20

Low

Question 21

What is bonding orbital energy like for a hard atom?

Answer 21

High

Question 22

What is bonding orbital energy like for a soft atom?

Answer 22

Low

Question 23

What type of bonding is present for hard atoms?

Answer 23

Electrostatic (ionic)

Question 24

What type of bonding is present for soft atoms?

Answer 24

Covalent

Question 25

Where are atoms harder?

Answer 25

If they are higher up in a group

Question 26

What are some examples of hard lewis acids?

Answer 26

H+
Alkali metals
First row TM
Group 13 elements

Question 27

What are some examples of soft lewis acids?

Answer 27

Heavier TM

Most other main group metals

Question 28

What happens to metals as you go down a group ?

Answer 28

They get softer

Question 29

What are some examples of hard lewis bases?

Answer 29

Light elements 
N, O F 
Amines 
Ethers 
Halogens F-, Cl-

Question 30

What are some examples of soft lewis bases?

Answer 30

They have an excess of electrons, eg. lone pairs
SCN- 
Br- , I-
CO 
C6H6

Question 31

What happens to the bases as you go down a group?

Answer 31

They become softer

Question 32

What is the trend of K of a soft metal?

Answer 32

Upward trend

Increases from hard to soft

Question 33

What is the trend of K of a hard metal?

Answer 33

Downward

decreases from hard to soft

Question 34

What do bonds between hard lewis acids and bases tend to be?

Answer 34

Ionic

Question 35

What do bonds between soft lewis acids and bases tend to be?

Answer 35

Covalent

Question 36

Is HSAB thermodynamic or kinetic?

Answer 36

Thermodynamic

Question 37

What happens when you coordinate ligands to hard lewis acids?

Answer 37

Make them stronger brønsted acids

Question 38

What happens when you coordinate ligands to soft lewis acids?

Answer 38

Makes them stronger brønsted bases