Question

The $C—O—H$ bond angle in ethanol is nearly

• A. $90^{\circ }$
• B. $104^{\circ }$
• C. $120^{\circ }$
• D. $180^{\circ }$

Answer 1

Answer: (A)

Due to the presence of lone pair of electron the bond angle decreases
In ethanol the oxygen of $—OH$ group is bonded to the $s{p}^3$ hybridised carbon by a sigma bond. The $—C—O—H$ bond angle in ethanol is less than the tetrahedral angle $(109^{\circ }28^{\prime })$ due to larger repulsions between the lone pairs of repulsions between the lone pairs of oxygen. Hence it is $104^{\circ }$ in ethanol