Table of contents

1. A Review of General Chemistry5h 5m
2. Molecular Representations1h 14m
3. Acids and Bases2h 46m
4. Alkanes and Cycloalkanes4h 17m
5. Chirality3h 39m
6. Thermodynamics and Kinetics1h 22m
7. Substitution Reactions1h 48m
8. Elimination Reactions2h 30m
9. Alkenes and Alkynes2h 9m
10. Addition Reactions3h 19m
11. Radical Reactions1h 58m
12. Alcohols, Ethers, Epoxides and Thiols2h 42m
13. Alcohols and Carbonyl Compounds2h 17m
14. Synthetic Techniques1h 26m
15. Analytical Techniques:IR, NMR, Mass Spect7h 3m
16. Conjugated Systems6h 13m
17. Ultraviolet Spectroscopy51m
18. Aromaticity2h 34m
19. Reactions of Aromatics: EAS and Beyond5h 1m
20. Phenols55m
21. Aldehydes and Ketones: Nucleophilic Addition4h 56m
22. Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: NAS2h 51m
23. The Chemistry of Thioesters, Phophate Ester and Phosphate Anhydrides1h 10m
24. Enolate Chemistry: Reactions at the Alpha-Carbon1h 53m
25. Condensation Chemistry2h 9m
26. Amines1h 43m
27. Heterocycles2h 0m
28. Carbohydrates5h 53m
29. Amino Acids4h 20m
30. Peptides and Proteins2h 42m
31. Catalysis in Organic Reactions1h 30m
32. Lipids 2h 50m
33. The Organic Chemistry of Metabolic Pathways2h 52m
34. Nucleic Acids1h 32m
35. Transition Metals6h 14m
36. Synthetic Polymers1h 49m

1. A Review of General Chemistry

Molecular Geometry

Organic Chemistry

1. A Review of General Chemistry

Molecular Geometry

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Problem 39a

Textbook Question

Describe the orbitals used in bonding and the bond angles in the following compounds:
a. CH₃O^-

Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Identify the central atom in the compound CH₃O^-. The central atom is oxygen (O) in this case.

Step 2: Determine the hybridization of the central atom. Oxygen in CH₃O^- is sp³ hybridized because it forms three sigma bonds (one with carbon and two with hydrogen) and has one lone pair.

Step 3: Describe the orbitals involved in bonding. The oxygen atom uses its sp³ hybrid orbitals to form sigma bonds with the carbon atom and the hydrogen atoms. The carbon atom in CH₃ is also sp³ hybridized, using its sp³ orbitals to form sigma bonds with the oxygen and hydrogen atoms.

Step 4: Determine the bond angles. In an sp³ hybridized atom, the ideal bond angle is approximately 109.5°. However, due to the presence of a lone pair on oxygen, the bond angle may be slightly less than 109.5°.

Step 5: Consider the effect of the negative charge. The negative charge on the oxygen atom indicates an extra electron, which is accommodated in one of the sp³ hybrid orbitals, contributing to the overall geometry and bond angles.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Hybridization

Hybridization is the process by which atomic orbitals mix to form new hybrid orbitals that are suitable for the pairing of electrons to form chemical bonds. In the case of CH3O-, the central atom (carbon) undergoes sp3 hybridization, resulting in four equivalent hybrid orbitals that can form sigma bonds with hydrogen and oxygen.

Bond Angles

Bond angles are the angles formed between adjacent bonds in a molecule, which are influenced by the hybridization of the central atom and the repulsion between electron pairs. In CH3O-, the bond angles around the carbon atom are approximately 109.5 degrees, characteristic of sp3 hybridization, while the bond angle between the carbon and oxygen may be slightly less due to lone pair repulsion.

Molecular Geometry

Molecular geometry refers to the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in a molecule, which is determined by the number of bonding pairs and lone pairs of electrons around the central atom. For CH3O-, the geometry is tetrahedral around the carbon atom, with the presence of a lone pair on the oxygen affecting the overall shape and bond angles.

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Related Practice

Textbook Question

For each of the following compounds and ions,

1. Draw a Lewis structure.

2. Show the kinds of orbitals that overlap to form each bond.

3. Give approximate bond angles around each atom except hydrogen.

c. CH₂=N–CH₃

Textbook Question

You drew the Lewis structures of the following compounds and ion in Assessment 2.32. Predict their shapes around the central atom based on the Lewis structure.

(d) CO₃^2-

Textbook Question

Predict the approximate size of the following bond angles.

(b) the C—N—C bond angle in a secondary amine

Textbook Question

You drew the Lewis structures of the following compounds and ion in Assessment 2.32. Predict their shapes around the central atom based on the Lewis structure.

Textbook Question

What is the hybridization of all the atoms (other than hydrogen) in each of the following?

What are the bond angles around each atom?

c. ^-CH₃

d. ⋅CH₃

Textbook Question

For each of the following molecules, indicate the hybridization of each carbon and give the approximate values of all the bond angles:

b. CH₃CH═CH₂

Textbook Question

a. Which of the species have bond angles of 109.5°?

b. Which of the species have bond angles of 120°?

NH₃ ⁺NH₄ ^-CH₃