Question

What is the angle between the carbon-chlorine bonds in the phosgene (`COCl_2`), molecule?

Answer 1

`/_O-C-Cl` `~=` `120^@`

The central carbon is `sp_2-"hybridized........"`

Explanation:

And thus `/_Cl-C-Cl` and `/_O-C-Cl` `~=` are `120^@` to a first approximation.

Why this value? We look to `"VSEPR theory"`. There are 3 regions of electron density around the central carbon, and the most stable geometry is a trigonal plane. While there is a `"carbonyl"` group, i.e. a `C=O` bond, the `pi` bond is conceived to lie above and below this trigonal plane.

The `"carbonyl oxygen"` is likewise conceived to be `sp_2"-hybridized"`, however, here, there are 2 lone pairs on the oxygen centre.