Draw the Lewis structure of methanol (CH3OH), showing all bonds and lone pairs. Predict the approxim...

1. Count the Valence Electrons: First, determine the total number of valence electrons available for the molecule. Carbon (C) has 4 valence electrons, each hydrogen (H) has 1, and oxygen (O) has 6. Since there are three hydrogens, one carbon, and one oxygen, the total number of valence electrons is:

$$ 4 (\text{C}) + 3 \times 1 (\text{H}) + 6 (\text{O}) = 4 + 3 + 6 = 13 $$

However, since methanol has a single bond between oxygen and hydrogen (OH group), we must add an extra electron to account for the hydrogen's valence electron in the OH group, bringing the total to 14 valence electrons.

2. Determine the Central Atom: Carbon, being less electronegative than oxygen, will be the central atom. Hydrogen atoms cannot be central atoms because they can only form one bond.

3. Draw the Skeletal Structure: Connect the central carbon atom to the three hydrogen atoms and the oxygen atom. Then connect the oxygen to the remaining hydrogen to complete the OH group.

4. Distribute the Electrons: Starting with the outer atoms, place pairs of electrons around each atom to fulfill the octet rule (except for hydrogen, which only needs 2 electrons). After placing lone pairs on the oxygen atom, any remaining electrons should be placed on the central carbon atom.

5. Complete the Octets: Ensure that each atom (except hydrogen) has an octet. In the case of methanol, the oxygen and carbon atoms should have full octets.

6. Place Any Remaining Electrons: If there are any remaining electrons after all octets are complete, place them on the central atom.

7. Check the Formal Charges: To ensure the most stable structure, adjust the bonding to reflect the lowest possible formal charges on each atom. In the case of methanol, no adjustments should be necessary as the formal charges will already be zero for all atoms.

8. Predict Bond Angles: Using VSEPR theory, predict the bond angles. The carbon atom is bonded to four atoms and has no lone pairs, which corresponds to an AX4 system (where A is the central atom, X is a bonded atom, and E is a lone pair on the central atom). This gives a tetrahedral geometry with bond angles of approximately 109.5 degrees. The oxygen atom in the OH group is bonded to two atoms (one carbon and one hydrogen) and has two lone pairs, corresponding to an AX2E2 system, which gives a bent geometry with bond angles of approximately 104.5 degrees.

The final Lewis structure of methanol (CH3OH) will show the carbon atom with single bonds to three hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, the oxygen atom with two lone pairs and a single bond to a hydrogen atom, and all atoms with the appropriate number of electrons to satisfy the octet rule (except for hydrogen, which follows the duet rule).

Here is a visual representation of the Lewis structure:

```
H
|
H--C--O--H
|
H
```

Oxygen has two lone pairs that are not shown in this text representation but should be included in a proper Lewis structure diagram. The bond angles around the carbon are approximately 109.5 degrees, and the bond angle between the oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen in the OH group is approximately 104.5 degrees.