Term: Lewis base https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.L03511 Definition: A molecular entity (and the corresponding chemical species) able to provide a pair of electrons and thus capable of coordination to a Lewis acid, thereby producing a Lewis adduct. Related Terms: 1) molecular entity (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.M03986). 2) chemical species (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.CT01038). 3) coordination (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01329). 4) lewis acid (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.L03508). 5) lewis adduct (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.L03510). Source: PAC, 1994, 66, 1077. 'Glossary of terms used in physical organic chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1994)' on page 1135 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199466051077) Citation: 'Lewis base' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.L03511 License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms. Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.