{"id":2234,"date":"2011-09-19T09:07:40","date_gmt":"2011-09-19T09:07:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.masterorganicchemistry.com\/?p=2234"},"modified":"2026-04-22T10:30:46","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T15:30:46","slug":"introduction-to-acid-base-reactions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.masterorganicchemistry.com\/2011\/09\/19\/introduction-to-acid-base-reactions\/","title":{"rendered":"Introduction to Acid-Base Reactions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following up on the 4 major classes of reactions you encounter in Org 1, let’s look at the first of those four: acid base reactions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The focus here is not initially to understand why<\/strong>\u00a0things happen the way they do – that comes later. The initial focus is to be able to recognize what<\/strong>\u00a0is happening.<\/p>\n

Just like when you read a novel or watch a movie for the first time, your primary focus is probably just following the plot. Once you understand the plot of the movie, then you can start a deeper level of analysis with respect to the characters, setting, the meaning of the movie and so on.[Note 1<\/a>]<\/p>\n

\"summary-acid<\/a><\/p>\n

The “plot” of a chemical reaction is basically analyzing which bonds break<\/strong> and which bonds form<\/strong>. So let’s look the following four reactions.<\/p>\n

Before you do so it’s assumed you’ll be familiar with bond line diagrams and\u00a0 “hidden” (implicit) hydrogens – if you need a refresher, you might find this article helpful. See post: Hidden Hydrogens, Hidden Lone Pairs, Hidden Counterions<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

It’s also assumed that you know that reactants<\/strong>\u00a0are the structures to the left of (or above) the reaction arrow, and that products<\/strong>\u00a0are the structures to the right of the reaction arrow.<\/p>\n

You’ll notice that they might look very different on the surface – all those different structures! – but the basic plot\u00a0of each reaction is the same<\/strong>. We’re breaking an H-(atom) bond and forming an H-(atom) bond. At the same time we’re also connecting the two “leftover” partners to form a salt<\/strong>, composed of two oppositely-charged ions.<\/p>\n

\"n-acid-base-reactions-bond-is-formed-and-broken-with-h-plus\"<\/p>\n

Let’s look at that last reaction in more detail. Here, we’re breaking a C-H bond and an (ionic) Na-NH2<\/sub> bond, and forming an N-H bond as well as an (ionic) C-Na bond.<\/p>\n

\"n-acid-base-reaction-four-components-acid-base-conjugate-base-and-conjugate-acid\"<\/p>\n

There are four “actors” in this reaction – as there are in every<\/strong>\u00a0acid-base reaction – and we have names for all of them.<\/p>\n