History
The term superacid was originally coined by James Bryant Conant in 1927 to describe acids that were stronger than conventional mineral acids. George A. Olah prepared the so-called magic acid, so-named for its ability to attack hydrocarbons, by mixing antimony pentafluoride (SbF5) and fluorosulfonic acid (FSO3H). The name was coined after a candle was placed in a sample of magic acid. The candle dissolved, showing the ability of the acid to protonate hydrocarbons, which under normal acidic conditions do not protonate to any extent.
It was shown that at 140 °C (284 °F), FSO3H–SbF5 will convert methane into the tertiary-butyl carbocation, a reaction that begins with the protonation of methane:
- CH4 + H+ → CH+
5 - CH+
5 → CH+
3 + H2 - CH+
3 + 3 CH4 → (CH3)3C+ + 3H2
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