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What bond angle does triplet methylene have between its carbon-hydrogen bonds?
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carbene
Nonbonding orbitals in triplet and singlet states
The triplet state of methylene has a bond angle of 136° between its carbon-hydrogen bonds.1
This structure is determined by the distribution of nonbonding electrons within the carbene molecule. In the triplet state, the two nonbonding electrons occupy different orbitals with parallel spins, resulting in a "V" shape rather than a linear arrangement. This bond angle has been confirmed through the use of electron magnetic resonance spectroscopy.1