Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry
Proton
transfer:
A reaction or
reaction mechanism
step in which a
proton
(
"H
+
"
) is removed from one species (the
acid
) and accepted by another species (the
base
).
Dissolving
sulfuric acid
(
H
2
SO
4
) in
water
causes a
proton
transfer. A
proton
(shown in red) from
sulfuric acid
(a strong
acid
and the
proton
source) is transferred to
water
(a weak
base
and the
proton
acceptor). This
proton
transfer reaction converts
water
into
hydronium ion
(
H
3
O
+
; the
conjugate acid
of
water
) and
sulfuric acid
into bisulfate
ion
(HOSO
3
-
; the
conjugate base
of
sulfuric acid
).
Related terms:
Proticity
,
proton shuttle
,
proton bus
,
protic solvent
,
protonate
,
deprotonate
,
curved arrow
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