Ammonia reacts with boron trifluoride to form a stable compound, as we saw in Section 8.7. (a) Draw the Lewis structure of the ammonia–boron trifluoride reaction product.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Draw the Lewis structure for ammonia (NH_3). Ammonia has a nitrogen atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms, with a lone pair of electrons on the nitrogen.
2. Draw the Lewis structure for boron trifluoride (BF_3). Boron is the central atom bonded to three fluorine atoms, and it does not have a complete octet.
3. Recognize that ammonia can donate its lone pair of electrons to form a coordinate covalent bond with boron, which is electron-deficient.
4. Draw the Lewis structure of the reaction product, where the lone pair from nitrogen in NH_3 forms a bond with the boron atom in BF_3, resulting in a compound with a N-B bond.
5. Ensure that the final structure shows all atoms with complete octets, except for boron, which can be stable with six electrons.

Key Concepts

Lewis Structures

Lewis structures are diagrams that represent the bonding between atoms in a molecule and the lone pairs of electrons that may exist. They use dots to represent electrons and lines to represent bonds, allowing chemists to visualize the arrangement of atoms and the distribution of electrons. Understanding how to draw Lewis structures is essential for predicting molecular geometry and reactivity.

Covalent Bonding

Covalent bonding occurs when two atoms share one or more pairs of electrons, resulting in the formation of a stable molecule. In the case of ammonia (NH3) and boron trifluoride (BF3), the interaction leads to the formation of a coordinate covalent bond, where one atom donates both electrons to the bond. This concept is crucial for understanding how different molecules interact and form new compounds.

Molecular Geometry

Molecular geometry refers to the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms within a molecule. It is influenced by the number of bonding pairs and lone pairs of electrons around the central atom, which can affect the molecule's shape and properties. Understanding molecular geometry is important for predicting the behavior of molecules in reactions, such as the ammonia-boron trifluoride complex.