Figure 1

The five hydrogen-probe experiments.

Reactive hydrogen species, H+, H–, and H. are added and removed from the main group elemental hydrides.

Not all interaction combinations are possible and many blank (null) interactions occur, for example Lewis acid plus Lewis acid. Reaction chemistry can also be more involved than simple complexation: the group 1 and 2 (saline) hydrides react with H+ to give the metal cation plus H2 and not a protonated complex of the type [LiH2]+. The group 13 hydrides dimerise, 2BH3 -> B2H6. Some of the equilibrium positions lie so far to the left that, for practical purposes, the reaction only occurs in the opposite direction to that indicated by the arrow, although this in no way invalidates the analysis. For example, a hydride ion cannot be generated by abstracting a proton from H2, because there is no [Brønsted] base strong enough; however, a proton plus a hydride ion rapidly gives dihydrogen, H+ + H– -> H2.

© Mark R. Leach 1999-2005


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