Classify each as a lewis acid or lewis base...

Question

A)H20
B)O2-
C)Cu2+
D)SO3
E)AlCl3

Answer 1

Lewis acids are electron pair acceptors.
Lewis bases are electron pair donors.
Look at H2O, for example.

&nbsp ..
H:O:
&nbsp ..
&nbsp H
This molecule has no "holes" to accept an electron. Would you expect this to be an acid or a base by Lewis standards?

Answer 2

I think it would be a base because like you said it has no space to accept any electrons. As, for the other compounds is this correct:

O2- is a lewis base
Cu2+ is a lewis base
AlCl3 is an acid
SO3 is an acid

????

Answer 3

Apparently my response didn't post. I think Cu^+2 will be a Lewis acid. It wants to accept electrons to make that Cu(s).