question_answer 81)

  In both water and dimethyl ether \[(C{{H}_{3}}-\underset{\centerdot \centerdot }{\overset{\centerdot \centerdot }{\mathop{O}}}\,-C{{H}_{3}})\]oxygen atom is central atom and has the same hybridisation, yet they have different bond angles. Which one has greater bond angle? Give reason.

Answer:

  In dimethyl ether, the bond angle will have higher value. This will be due to more repulsion between bond pairs of\[C{{H}_{3}}\] group attached in ether than between bond pairs of hydrogen attached to oxygen in water.