Usanovich’s Concept of Acid-Base

In this article, Usanovich’s Concept of Acid-Base is explained with some examples.

• Usanovich’s Concept of Acid-Base
• Examples of Usanovich Acid-Base Reactions

Usanovich’s Concept of Acid-Base

In 1938, Russian physical chemist Mikhail Usanovich developed a general theory of acids and bases. According to this concept, “An acid is any species capable of giving cations, combining with anions or electrons or neutralizing a base to give a salt and a base is any species capable of giving up anions or electrons, combining with cation or neutralizing an acid to form a salt.”

Examples:

• Usanovich Acids: SO₃, Cl₂, etc.
• Usanovich Bases: Na₂O, Na, etc.

This concept is useful in classifying all types of acids and bases, as well as it also considers the oxidation-reduction process.

Examples of Usanovich Acid-Base Reactions

Na₂O (base) + SO₃(acid) → 2 Na⁺ + SO₄²⁻ (O²⁻anion exchanged)

2Na (base) + Cl₂ (acid) → 2Na⁺ + 2Cl⁻(2 electrons exchanged)

3(NH₄)₂S (base) + Sb₂S₅ (acid) → 6NH₄⁺ + 2SbS₄^3- (S^2- anion exchanged)