Why Does NH3 Turn Into NH4+? Also Question About Bond EN.

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Why does NH3 turn into NH4+? Also question about bond EN.

• Thread starter Thread starter Hammad Shahid
• Start date Start date Aug 31, 2018
• Tags Tags Bond

Click For Summary Ammonia (NH3) can form ammonium (NH4+) when it interacts with a proton (H+), despite NH3 already being stable, due to the need for a more symmetrical electron arrangement. The addition of H+ allows for a tetrahedral geometry, which is more stable than the trigonal pyramidal shape of NH3. In aqueous solutions, NH3 exists as NH4OH, indicating that NH4+ does not exist freely but rather in association with water. The discussion also touches on the distinction between ionic and covalent bonds, noting that a bond is generally considered ionic when the electronegativity difference exceeds a certain threshold. Overall, the stability and geometry of molecular structures play a crucial role in the formation of cations like NH4+. Hammad Shahid Messages 64 Reaction score 3 Hi guys. So I know that atoms bond to obtain stability / full octet. But my question is that NH3 is already stable and each N and H has a full octet. So why does ammonium form? I know that an H+ is attached so no e- are added, but why is there a need for this change? Same question for PH3 -> PH4+, and other such cations. Another question I have is that where do we draw a line between an ionic or covalent bond? Past what electronegativity difference is a bond considered ionic and why? Thanks you. I only have basic level understanding in chemistry so sorry if these questions are too simple. Chemistry news on Phys.org

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rootone Messages 3,394 Reaction score 946 Consider ammonia dissolved in water, it exists and is a cleaning product available in your local supermarket or similar. Technically it is ammonium hydroxide in that state, but still it is NH3 Hammad Shahid Messages 64 Reaction score 3

rootone said: Consider ammonia dissolved in water, it exists and is a product available in your local supermarket or similar. Technically it is ammonium hydroxide in that state, but still it is NH3

Hm ok so NH3 (aq) is NH4OH? Okay, so then NH4+ can’t exist as free ions though right? It will be NH3 and H+ in water technically? Hammad Shahid Messages 64 Reaction score 3 What I mean is that ammonium can form an ionic compound with other elements as long as it’s in water and then the solute precipitates, is that correct? Otherwise in water it’s as NH3 and H+? Cutter Ketch Messages 982 Reaction score 446 N with 5 valence electrons bonds with three H to complete the shell. However NH3 has a geometry problem. 3 of the 5 electrons are in covalent bonds with Hydrogen and two aren’t, there is no symmetric way to arrange these. The electrons in the bonds and the remaining two valence electrons all repel as much as possible. As a result the three bonds bend out of plane making something like a three legged stool and the other two electrons hang out more on top of the stool. It is this broken symmetry that allows a fourth bond. Despite the canonical 8 electrons the screening still can’t be symmetric. There is too much electron probability on top and that attracts another proton. Now with 4 H bonds the molecule can arrange in a perfectly symmetric tetrahedron. There is no concentration of electron probability anywhere, Hammad Shahid Messages 64 Reaction score 3 @Cutter Ketch Oh ok that makes a lot of sense. The proton stabilizes the polarity then. Also, does that mean that the trigonal pyramidal shape is less stable than tetrahedral in general? Cutter Ketch Messages 982 Reaction score 446

Hammad Shahid said: @Cutter Ketch Oh ok that makes a lot of sense. The proton stabilizes the polarity then. Also, does that mean that the trigonal pyramidal shape is less stable than tetrahedral in general?

Yes. Hammad Shahid Messages 64 Reaction score 3

Cutter Ketch said: Yes.

Thank you.

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