Summary of Acid-Base Reactions

1) Neutralization:

acid + base → salt + water

e.g. HCl (aq) + NaOH (aq) → NaCl (aq) + H2O(l)

net ionic = H+(aq) + OH –(aq) → 2 H2O(l)

[ or H3O+(aq) + OH –(aq) → 2 H2O(l) ]

2) Bronsted- Lowry Acid-Base Reaction:

a) Acid + base → salt

HCl(aq) + NH3(aq) → NH4+(aq) + Cl –(aq)

net ionic = H+(aq) + NH3 (aq) → NH4+(aq)

*Note: the presence of water as a solvent is not always required:

HCl(g) + NH3 (g) → NH4Cl (s)

b) Proton transfer reaction:

acid + base → conjugate acid + conjugate base

CH3COOH + H2O (l) → H3O+(aq) + CH3COO –(aq)

H2O (l) + CO32-(aq) → HCO3-(aq) + OH –(aq)

Reminder: Water is amphoteric so can behave as either an acid or a base.

3) Lewis Acid-Base Reaction:

* Hint: For common examples, look for compounds of boron tri_______, combined with
a substance that has at least one lone electron pair, or look for formation of a
complex ion.

e.g. BF3 + F –(aq) → BF4-(aq)

e.g. BCl3 + NH3 → ClBNH3

acid + base → “salt”

e.g. Ag+(aq) + 2 NH3 → Ag(NH3)2+

e.g. Reaction of a metal cation with water:

Fe3+ + 6 H2O → Fe(H2O)63+ ↔ Fe(H2O)5(OH)2+ + H+
4) Basic Oxides: (basic anhydrides) * basic oxides have metal cations

* Metal oxide + water → metal hydroxide (base)

e.g. Na2O(s) + H2O(l) → 2 NaOH(aq)

net = Na2O(s) + H2O(l) → 2 Na+(aq) + 2 OH-(aq)

e.g. BaO(s) + H2O(l) → Ba(OH)2 (aq)

net = BaO(s) + H2O(l) → Ba2+(aq) + 2 OH-(aq)

5) Acidic Oxides: (acid anhydrides)

* nonmetal oxide + water → oxyacid

(1) CO2 (g) + H2O (l) ↔ H2CO3 (aq)

(2) SO2(g) + H2O (l) ↔ H2SO3
(3) SO3(g) + H2O (l) → H2SO4

*Note: These acids may further dissociate, especially if a strong acid:

SO3(g) + H2O → HSO4- + H+

6) Reactions of Metals with Acids:

* nonoxidizing acids (HCl, dilute H2SO4) result in a single replacement reactions

Metal + acid → salt + H2(g)

e.g. Zn + H2SO4 → ZnSO4(aq) + H2(g)

net = Zn(s) + 2 H+(aq) → Zn 2+(aq) + H2(g)

* oxidizing acids (hot concentrated H2SO4, HNO3) form additional products besides
the salt + water.

w/ dilute HNO3 → NO
conc. HNO3 → NO2
conc. H2SO4 → H2S or SO2

eg. Zn(s) + H2SO4(conc.) → ZnSO4 + H2S + H2O

OR → Zn2+ + SO2(g) + H2O(l)
(*I have found conflicting results on the above reaction in different textbooks)

HNO3 (dilute) + Cu(s) → Cu(NO3)2 + NO(g) + H2O(l) (not balanced)

HNO3 (conc.) + Cu(s) → Cu(NO3)2 + NO2(g) + H2O(l) (not balanced)

7) Reactions of Acids with Metal Oxides:

Metal oxide + acid → salt + water

CuO(s) + H2SO4 (dilute) → CuSO4 + H2O(l)

net = CuO(s) + 2 H+(aq) → Cu2+(aq) + H2O(l)

8) Reactions of Acids with Carbonates:

* note- almost all reactions that involve carbonates will result in the production of CO2

Carbonate + acid → salt + water + CO2(g)

e.g. CaCO3 (s) + 2 HCl (aq) → CaCl2 (aq) + H2O + CO2(g)

net = CaCO3 (s) + 2 H+(aq) → Ca2+(aq) + H2O(l) + CO2(g)

e.g. Na2CO3 (aq) + H2SO4 (aq) → Na2SO4 (aq) + H2O + CO2(g)

net = CO32-(aq) + 2 H+(aq) → H2O(l) + CO2(g)

e.g. 2 CH3COOH (aq) + CaCO3 (s) → Ca(CH3COO)2 (aq) + H2O + CO2(g)

9) Reactions of Bases with Nonmetal Oxides: * Products are dependent on

relative concentrations of each
* nonmetal oxide + hydroxide → salt reactant
- or -
* nonmetal oxide + excess hydroxide → salt + water
For net ionic
CO2(g) + NaOH (aq) → NaHCO3 (aq) ← equations, do not
show the sodium
CO2(g) + excess NaOH(aq) → Na2CO3 (aq) + H2O (l)

10) Reactions of Metal oxides with nonmetal oxides (heated together – no water involved)

Metal oxide + nonmetal oxide → salt (containing oxygen in the anion)

e.g. MgO(s) + CO2 (g) → MgCO3 (s) * Since these are all solids or
gases, not dissolved, these are the
6 CaO (s) + P4O10 (s) → 2 Ca3(PO4)2 (s) net ionic equation also.
CaO (s) + SO3 (g) → CaSO4 (s)