How would you predict the ideal bond angle(s) around each central atom in this molecule?

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1 Answer
Jun 13, 2017

/_H-C-HHCH, /_H-C-OHCO, /_C-O-CCOC should all be........

Explanation:

/_H-C-HHCH, /_H-C-OHCO, /_C-O-CCOC should all be 109.5""^@109.5 to a FIRST approximation. Because the central oxygen bears TWO lone pairs, which lie close to the oxygen atom, this tends to compress the /_C-O-CCOC down to 104-6^@1046, i.e. similar to the /_H-O-HHOH angle in water.

Thus the electronic geometry around oxygen is tetrahedral to a first approximation, the actual geometry is somewhat compressed. I urge you to look at the description of "VESPER"VESPER in your text.