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JEE Advanced levelOne or more correct optionsDifficulty 3 of 3g2110

Which statements about the following anions are correct? (pKa of conjugate acids: ethane about 50, ethene about 44, ethyne 25, ammonia 38, water 15.7)

  1. A is a weaker base than
  2. B is a stronger base than
  3. C can deprotonate ethyne almost completely
  4. DSodium acetylide can be prepared by adding ethyne to aqueous (conjugate acid of is water, pKa 15.7)

Answer: A, B, C

Basic strength increases with pKa of the conjugate acid and with decreasing s-character: ethyne 25 < ethene 44 < ethane 50, so A and B are true. Amide (38) is much stronger than acetylide (25), so C is true. D is false: hydroxide (conjugate acid pKa 15.7) is a much weaker base than acetylide, so ethyne is not deprotonated appreciably by aqueous NaOH.
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