Select the incorrect statement about beryllium and aluminium?

Options

A. Chlorides of beryllium and aluminium are soluble in organic solvents
B. Beryllium and aluminium hydroxides are soluble in excess of alkali
C. Chlorides of beryllium and aluminium are strong lewis acids
D. Aluminium and beryllium readily react with mineral acid to give hydrogen gas

Answer

To determine the incorrect statement about beryllium and aluminium, we need to analyze the given options based on their properties and behavior.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Beryllium and Aluminium**:
- Beryllium (Be) and Aluminium (Al) are both metals that exhibit a diagonal relationship in the periodic table. This means they share similar properties due to their positions in the periodic table.

2. **Analyzing the Statements**:
- **Statement 1**: "Chlorides of beryllium and aluminium are soluble in organic solvents."
- This statement is correct. Both BeCl2 and AlCl3 are covalent compounds and are soluble in organic solvents due to their non-polar nature.

- **Statement 2**: "Beryllium and aluminium are soluble in excess of alkali."
- This statement is also correct. Both beryllium hydroxide and aluminium hydroxide are amphoteric and can react with excess sodium hydroxide to form soluble complexes (e.g., Na2Be(OH)4 and NaAl(OH)4).

- **Statement 3**: "Chlorides of beryllium and aluminium are stronger Lewis acids."
- This statement is incorrect. While both chlorides are covalent and can act as Lewis acids, they are not classified as "strong" Lewis acids compared to other compounds. Their amphoteric nature also means they do not exhibit strong acidic behavior.

- **Statement 4**: "Aluminium and beryllium readily react with mineral acids to give hydrogen gas."
- This statement is correct. Both metals react with mineral acids (like HCl) to produce hydrogen gas and their respective chlorides (e.g., AlCl3 and BeCl2).

3. **Conclusion**:
- The incorrect statement among the options provided is **Statement 3**: "Chlorides of beryllium and aluminium are stronger Lewis acids."