Is BI3 a stronger Lewis acid than BCl3 and BF3? Why?
In boron halides, there exists certain degree of pi bonding involving halogen lone pairs and empty 2p orbital of boron.This bonding is strongest in case of BF3 and when a boron halide accepts electrons from a donor molecule, this bonding is lost. Due to this, BF3 resists this change most strongly followed by other halides and thus the acceptor strength increases in the order BF3 < BCl3 < BBr3 < BI3
Due to this, BI3 a stronger Lewis acid than BCl3 and BF3