The sigma (σ) bond in alcohols is formed by overlap between a sp³ hybridized orbital of carbon and a sp³ hybridized orbital of oxygen. The bond angle is slightly less than tetrahedral (109°-28’) due to repulsion between the unshared electron pairs of oxygen.
What is the nature of the sigma bond formed between the oxygen of the –OH group and carbon in alcohols, and why is the bond angle slightly less than the tetrahedral angle?
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The sigma (σ) bond between the oxygen of the –OH group and carbon in alcohols is a single covalent bond formed by the overlap of atomic orbitals. The bond angle is slightly less than the tetrahedral angle (109.5 degrees) due to the presence of a lone pair on the oxygen atom. The lone pair exerts greater repulsion than bonding electron pairs, leading to a compressed bond angle. This deviation from the ideal tetrahedral angle is known as the VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) theory, which explains the geometric arrangement of atoms around a central atom based on minimizing repulsion between electron pairs.