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Question: Answered & Verified by Expert
The order of acidic strength of boron trihalides is
Chemistryp Block Elements (Group 13 & 14)COMEDKCOMEDK 2023
Options:
  • A $\mathrm{BI}_3 < \mathrm{BBr}_3 < \mathrm{BCl}_3 < \mathrm{BF}_3$
  • B $\mathrm{BF}_3 < \mathrm{BCl}_3 < \mathrm{BBr}_3 < \mathrm{BI}_3$
  • C $\mathrm{BBr}_3 < \mathrm{BCl}_3 < \mathrm{BF}_3 < \mathrm{BI}_3$
  • D $\mathrm{BCl}_3 < \mathrm{BBr}_3 < \mathrm{BI}_3 < \mathrm{BF}_3$
Solution:
2820 Upvotes Verified Answer
The correct answer is: $\mathrm{BF}_3 < \mathrm{BCl}_3 < \mathrm{BBr}_3 < \mathrm{BI}_3$
Boron trihalides are Lewis acids. The back bonding determines its acidic strength, more is the $\pi$-back bonding, less is the acidity. Thus, due to better overlapping of orbitals it promotes better $\pi$-back bonding, hence $\mathrm{BF}_3$ is least acidic in nature. Thus, order of acidic strength is $\mathrm{BF}_3 < \mathrm{BCl}_3 < \mathrm{BBr}_3$ $ < \mathrm{BI}_3$.

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