TPR- GChem Conjugate pairs

[lDanny]

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TPR is confusing me on this concept.

It states
1."The conjugate base of a strong acid has no basic properties in water"
- get that the conj. base in the strong acid, is probably stable and would not a proton.

2. "The conj. base of a weak acid is a weak base."
- the ion in the conj. base would want a proton, so it behaves as a weak base like HF and F- (conj. base)

3. "The weaker the acid, the stronger the conj. base"
- this is where I got confused. For number two they used HF and said that F- is a weak base.


thanks... i think its something simple but my brain doesnt want to function anymore LOL

 

[loveoforganic]

1) Definition of a strong acid is it dissociates 100% in water. That means that the conjugate base of your strong acid can't be deprotonating any water to reform your acid, otherwise it wouldn't be strong.

2) This isn't entirely true. Combined with #3 it's more true. Take for example acetic acid. Weak acid. Acetate ion, weak base. Now let's consider a weaker acid, ammonium chloride. Weaker acid. Ammonia, stronger base. It doesn't hold that the conjugate of a weak acid will never be strong though. Take butane. Very, very, very weak acid. Butyl lithium, obscenely strong base.

 

[lDanny]

So its depends on the acid/base. The way that TPR worded this concept was a bit confusing. Because it says weak acid = weak base, then its says weaker acid = stronger base.