In: Chemistry
Why does H2O have a smaller bond angle than H3O+?
H2O molecule has 2 lone pairs of electrons on the oxygen atom. these lone pairs repel each other and reduce the distance between the H H attached to the the O, making the HOH bond angle smaller. Such is not the case in H3O+, where one lone pair has been used to form a O-H bond to give H3O+ structure. The repulsion is less, the lone pairs are more delocalised and thus the bond angle is larger then H2O molecule.