In both water and dimethyl ether oxygen atom is central atom, and has the same hybridisation, yet they have different bond angles. Which one has greater bond angle? Give reason.

In both water and dimethyl ether oxygen atom is central atom, and

1.	In both water and dimethyl ether 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» Dimethyl ether will have larger bond angle. There will be more repulsion between bond pairs of CH₃ groups attached in ether than between bond pairs of hydrogen atoms attached to oxygen in water. The carbon of CH₃ in ether is attached to three hydrogen atoms through σ bonds and electron pairs of these bonds add to the electronic charge density on carbon atom. Hence, repulsion between two —CH₃ groups will be more than that between two hydrogen atoms.