In the first step, 4-sulfanilic acid reacts with sodium nitrate to form diazonium ion intermediate. Identify the Lewis acid and Lewis base in this reaction.

In the formation of diazonium ion intermediate, the 4-sulfanilic acid acts as the Lewis acid, while the sodium nitrite is the Lewis base.

Explanation:

A Lewis acid is by definition an electron pair acceptor (such as the H+ ion, that can accept a pair of non-bonding electrons) and a Lewis base is an electron pair donor (such as the OH- ion, that can donate a pair of non-bonding electrons).

In the formation of diazonium ion intermediate, the 4-sulfanilic acid acts as the Lewis acid(by transference of a lone pair from its nitrogen atom), while the sodium nitrite is the Lewis base.

N.B its sodium nitrite, NaNO2 (which is slightly basic in solution) not nitrate NaNO3 (which is neutral in solution)

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