Which one of the following compounds has the smallest bond angle? — Chemical Bonding Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Step 1: Determine the hybridization and lone pairs of each species. NH3 is sp3 (~107°), OH2 is sp3 (~104.5°), and SO2 is sp2 with one lone pair (~119.5°). Step 2: SH2 (H2S) is a hydride of a third-period element. According to Drago's rule, the bonding in H2S involves almost pure p-orbitals because of the large size and low electronegativity of Sulfur, resulting in a bond angle close to 90° (~92°). Step 3: Therefore, SH2 has the smallest bond angle among the given options, matching option (b).