Question

Draw a mechanism for the protonation of water in sulfuric acid. Write out the structures of water and sulfuric acid completely, showing all bonds, electrons, and nonzero formal charges. Use curved arrow notation to show the reaction. Then draw the products of the reaction, again showing all bonds, electrons, and nonzero formal charges.

Answer 1

Answer:

It is an example of Arrhenius acid-base reaction.

Explanation:

• In this reaction, water acts as an Arrhenius base because it consumes a proton from sulfuric acid.
• In this reaction, sulfuric acid acts as an Arrhenius acid because it donates a proton to water.
• Lone pair on oxygen atom in water is used to bind the proton obtained from sulfuric acid.
• Proton attached to -OH group in sulfuric acid is being donated because it is loosely bounded to oxygen atom due to high polarity of O-H bond.
• Reaction: $H_{2}O+H_{2}SO_{4}\rightarrow H_{3}O^{+}+HSO_{4}^{-}$
• Mechanism has been shown below.