question_answer 1)

What characteristics do you expect from electron deficient hydrides with respect to its structure and chemical reactivity?

Answer:

Electron deficient hydrides generally exist in polymeric forms. Their molecules have hydrogen bridges, i.e., three centre two electrons bonds. Electron deficient hydrides act as Lewis acids and combine with Lewis bases. For example, \[{{B}_{2}}{{H}_{6}}+2CO\to 2{{H}_{3}}B\leftarrow CO\] \[{{B}_{2}}{{H}_{6}}+2N{{H}_{3}}\to 2{{H}_{3}}B\leftarrow N{{H}_{3}}\] Electron deficient hydrides are reactive in nature as to make up the deficiency of electrons, they can react with metals, non-metals and their compounds. \[NaH+Al{{H}_{3}}\to NaAl{{H}_{4}}\] \[2LiH+{{B}_{2}}{{H}_{6}}\to 2LiB{{H}_{4}}\]