Draw a 3D sketch of the Lewis structure for methanol. 2) what is hybridization of all central atoms present in the methanol molecule?
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what is hybridization of all central atoms present in the methanol molecule
In methanol (CH₃OH), there are two central atoms: carbon (C) and oxygen (O). Here’s the hybridization for each:
- Carbon (C): The carbon atom is bonded to three hydrogen atoms and one hydroxyl group (–OH). This gives carbon four sigma bonds, which requires sp³ hybridization. The carbon atom forms a tetrahedral shape with bond angles of approximately 109.5°.
- Oxygen (O): The oxygen atom is bonded to the carbon atom and one hydrogen atom. Oxygen has two lone pairs of electrons and forms two bonds (one sigma bond to carbon and one sigma bond to hydrogen). Therefore, oxygen is also sp³ hybridized, with a bent or V-shaped structure. The bond angle between the two bonds is around 104.5° due to the lone pairs.
Explanation:
- The sp³ hybridization occurs when an atom forms four bonds. Carbon in methanol makes four bonds (three with hydrogen atoms and one with the oxygen atom), and oxygen makes two bonds (one with carbon and one with hydrogen) while also holding two lone pairs. In both cases, the atomic orbitals mix to form four equivalent sp³ hybrid orbitals.
- The tetrahedral geometry around both atoms (carbon and oxygen) reflects the sp³ hybridization, with the lone pairs on oxygen slightly compressing the bond angle between the bonds to less than 109.5°.
This hybridization explains the structure of methanol and its molecular geometry.
