Home › JEE Main › Chemistry › Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers ›  In alcohols, the oxygen atom of the C–O–H group is hybridised as:
Adsp³
Bsp
Csp³
Dsp²
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. sp³
The oxygen carries two bonding pairs (to C and H) plus two lone pairs — four electron domains total — so it adopts **sp³** hybridisation, giving a roughly tetrahedral electron geometry and a bent C–O–H angle near 109°.
Phenols differ: the C–O bond is to an sp² aromatic carbon and the C–O bond gains partial double-bond character through resonance with the ring.
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