Acidity and Basicity Reviewed

The acid-base behavior of organic compounds often helps to explain their chemistry this is certainly true of alcohols. It is a good idea, therefore, to review the fundamental concepts of acidity and basicity. 

Acids and bases are defined in two ways. According to the Bronsted-Lowry definition, an acid is a proton donor, and a base is a proton acceptor. For example, in eq. 7.2, which represents what occurs when hydrogen chloride dissolves in water, the water accepts a proton from the hydrogen chloride. 

A Br0nsted-Lowiy acid is a proton donor, whereas a Br0nsted-Lowiy 

Here water acts as a base or proton acceptor, and hydrogen chloride acts as an acid or proton donor. The products of this proton exchange are called the conjugate acid and the conjugate base. 

The strength of an acid (in water) is measured quantitatively by its acidity constant, or ionization constant, K . For example, any acid dissolved in water is in equilibrium with hydronium ions and its conjugate base A  

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