What Types of Reactions are Influenced by Brønsted Acidity?
Brønsted acids are particularly effective in acid-catalyzed reactions such as esterification, hydrolysis, alkylation, and cracking. For example, in esterification, the Brønsted acid protonates the carbonyl oxygen, making it more electrophilic and thus more susceptible to nucleophilic attack by an alcohol. In cracking, Brønsted acid sites help break down large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller, more valuable products like gasoline.
