The HSAB Principle: Predicting Which Combinations Are Stable
Inorganic Chemistry · Acids and Bases The HSAB Principle: Predicting Which Combinations Are Stable A qualitative rule that predicts a surprising amount — which minerals occur together, which ligands bind which metals, and which reactions go. BSc & MSc · Inorganic Chemistry · Concept The short answer: Hard species are small, highly charged and not easily polarised; soft species are large, less charged and readily polarised. Hard acids prefer hard bases and soft acids prefer soft bases. The rule is qualitative but predicts stability, solubility and reaction direction remarkably well. What hard and soft mean Property Hard Soft Size Small…