Why is boric acid written as B(OH)3 and not H3BO3? [duplicate]








**This question already has answers here**:
 
 




[Why is arsenous acid denoted H3AsO3?](/questions/537/why-is-arsenous-acid-denoted-h3aso3)

 (2 answers)
 

Closed 6 years ago.



Why is boric acid written as $\ce{B(OH)3}$ and not just $\ce{H3BO3}$, like it should be for an acid?




This is mostly because boric acid is commonly believed to have different acidity mechanism. While common acids generally dissociates


$\ce{HNO3 <=> H+ + NO3-}$


boric acid is commonly believed to associate with water


$\ce{H2O + B(OH)3 <=> H+ + [B(OH)4]-}$


this type of acidity is rather common for metal hydroxides, hence the way of writing.


For that matter, not every hydrogen should be written at the beginning of a formula of an acid, but only actually acidic ones. So, $\ce{H2SO4}$, but $\ce{HPH2O2}$


 20