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Are metal amines (ex. NaNH2) strong bases like (LiOH) and do these metal amines dissociate completely?
Quick Chem Question
- Thread starter Ruthless
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hydride acidity INCREASES left to right within a period...
Thus, ammonia < water < HF is the ranking for acidity....
Thus, it MUST be true that the order of basicity for the CONJUGATE bases are....
amide (this is the term for the conjugate base of an amine) > hydroxide > flouride
FWIW...amides are highly basic.
If your question involves an aqueous solution....it does indeed dissociate, but there is another problem.
Since the amide is much stronger in basicity than hydroxide, the equilibrium will favor the hydroxide (weaker base). Once the solution reaches equilibrium, much of the amide will be converted to ammonia (most likely escape as gaseous ammonia)...
What you have to realize is that in AQUEOUS solution, the strongest base capable of existing at equilibrium is the hydroxide ion. This is because all bases stronger than hydroxide have their equilibriums positions in favor of the weaker conjugate acid and weaker base, in our case, hydroxide.
Thus, all "strong" bases (stronger than hydroxide) form hydroxide to near equal extents in aqueous solution...
This is due to the leveling effect; a similar line of reasoning describes the leveling effect for acids.
For this reason, the relative strengths of acids stronger than hydroxide cannot be readily determined in aqueous solution because of the leveling effect. To determine the relative strengths of "strong" bases, you need an acid that is weaker than water; one with a weaker tendency to donate a proton.
