Base (chemistry) - Alkalinity of Non-hydroxides

Alkalinity of Non-hydroxides

Bases are generally compounds that can neutralize an amount of acids. Both sodium carbonate and ammonia are bases, although neither of these substances contains OH− groups. Both compounds accept H+ when dissolved in protic solvents such as water:

Na₂CO₃ + H₂O → 2 Na+ + HCO₃- + OH-

NH₃ + H₂O → NH₄+ + OH-

From this, a pH, or acidity, can be calculated for aqueous solutions of bases. Bases also directly act as electron-pair donors themselves:

CO₃2- + H+ → HCO₃-

NH₃ + H+ → NH₄+

Carbon can act as a base as well as nitrogen and oxygen. This occurs typically in compounds such as butyl lithium, alkoxides, and metal amides such as sodium amide. Bases of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen without resonance stabilization are usually very strong, or superbases, which cannot exist in a water solution due to the acidity of water. Resonance stabilization, however, enables weaker bases such as carboxylates; for example, sodium acetate is a weak base.