Question

Rank the following four acids in order of increasing bronsted acidity :

a.H2F+
b.CH3OH
c.(CH3)2OH+
d.CH3SH2+

Answer 1

The acids can be ranked in the following order of increasing Bronsted acidity: (CH3)2OH+ , CH3SH2+ , H2F+ , CH3OH

Step-by-step explanation:

Ranking of the acids:

1. (CH3)2OH+
2. CH3SH2+
3. H2F+
4. CH3OH

The order of increasing Bronsted acidity can be determined by examining the stability of the corresponding conjugate base. A stronger acid will have a more stable conjugate base. In this case, (CH3)2OH+ has the most stable conjugate base as it can delocalize the negative charge through resonance.

CH3SH2+ has the second most stable conjugate base due to the electronegativity of sulfur and the possibility of sulfur forming a hydrogen bond. H2F+ is less acidic because fluorine is highly electronegative but has a weaker bond to hydrogen compared to sulfur. Lastly, CH3OH is the weakest acid in this group because oxygen is less electronegative than sulfur and fluorine.