Which one of the following ionic species has the greatest proton affinity to form stable compound?
- NH2-
- F-
- I-
- HS-
Answer
(1) NH2-
Solution
Proton affinity of an anion measures its tendency to accept H+, i.e. its Brønsted basic strength.
As per NCERT, the weaker the acid, the stronger is its conjugate base.
Conjugate acids: NH3, HF, HI, H2S
Acid strength: HI > HF > H2S > NH3 (NH3 is the weakest acid of the four)
∴ Basic strength: NH2- > HS- > F- > I-
∴ NH2- has the greatest proton affinity and forms the stable compound NH3.
Answer: (1)