Hard/Soft Acid-Base Theory

The video tutorial introduces the concept of hard and soft acids and bases, focusing on their relevance to transition metal complexes. It explains the polarizability of acids and bases, detailing the characteristics of hard and soft acids and bases, including charge density and bond nature. The tutorial also covers intermediate hardness and softness, providing examples and discussing metal-ligand interactions, emphasizing the stability of complexes based on hard-hard and soft-soft interactions.

What role does polarizability play in determining whether an acid or base is classified as hard or soft?

How does the charge density of an acid influence its classification as hard or soft?

Discuss the differences in bonding nature between hard acids and soft acids.