According to the modern definition, a superacid is a medium in which the chemical potential of the proton is higher than in pure sulfuric acid.
Finally, when treated with anhydrous acid, zeolites (microporous aluminosilicate minerals) will contain superacidic sites within their pores.
[5][6] Fluoroantimonic acid is made by dissolving antimony pentafluoride (SbF5) in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride (HF).
The resulting anion (SbF−6) delocalizes charge effectively and holds onto its electron pairs tightly, making it an extremely poor nucleophile and base.
The mixture owes its extraordinary acidity to the weakness of proton acceptors (and electron pair donors) (Brønsted or Lewis bases) in solution.
Typical catalysts are sulfated oxides of titanium and zirconium or specially treated alumina or zeolites.
[9] In organic chemistry, superacids are used as a means of protonating alkanes to promote the use of carbocations in situ during reactions.