Amphiprotic (Adjective)
Meaning
Having characteristics of both an acid and a base and capable of reacting as either.
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The solvent used in the reaction was water, an amphiprotic compound that was capable of donating or accepting a proton as needed.
- Ammonia is a common example of an amphiprotic molecule, which can accept a proton to form an ammonium ion or donate a proton to form an amide.
- In solution, hydrogen sulfide behaves as an amphiprotic compound, donating a proton to form HS- or accepting a proton to form H3S+.
- As an amphiprotic molecule, methanol can participate in reactions that require the presence of both an acid and a base, such as in esterification reactions.
- Phenol is another amphiprotic compound, displaying characteristics of both a Bronsted-Lowry acid and base depending on the specific chemical reaction in which it is involved.