Donor number

In chemistry a donor number or DN is a qualitative measure of Lewis basicity. A donor number is defined as the negative enthalpy value for the 1:1 adduct formation between a Lewis base and the standard Lewis acid SbCl5 (antimony pentachloride), in dilute solution in the noncoordinating solvent 1,2-dichloroethane with a zero DN. The units are kilocalories per mole for historical reasons.[1] The donor number is a measure of the ability of a solvent to solvate cations and Lewis acids The method was developed by V. Gutmann in 1976.[2] Likewise Lewis acids are characterized by acceptor numbers.

Typical solvent values are:[3]

References

  1. ^ Françoise Arnaud-neu, Rita Delgado, and Sílvia Chaves (2003). "Critical evaluation of stability constants and thermodynamic functions of metal complexes of crown ethers". Pure Appl. Chem. 75 (1): 71–102. doi:10.1351/pac200375010071. 
  2. ^ V. Gutmann (1976). "Solvent effects on the reactivities of organometallic compounds". Coord. Chem. Rev. 18 (2): 225. doi:10.1016/S0010-8545(00)82045-7. 
  3. ^ D.T. Sawyer, J.L. Roberts (1974). Experimental Electrochemistry for Chemists. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.. 

Further reading