Which of the following compounds is capable of dipole–dipole interactions?

• A. O2
• B. CH4
• C. CH3Cl
• D. CCl4

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that dipole–dipole interactions occur between molecules that have a permanent dipole moment, meaning the molecule must be polar.
2. Analyze each compound's molecular structure and symmetry to determine if it is polar or nonpolar:
3. For O2 (oxygen gas), it is a diatomic molecule with two identical atoms, so the electron distribution is equal, making it nonpolar and unable to have dipole–dipole interactions.
4. For CH4 (methane), the molecule is tetrahedral and symmetrical with identical C–H bonds, resulting in a nonpolar molecule with no permanent dipole moment.
5. For CH3Cl (chloromethane), the molecule is tetrahedral but has different atoms (Cl is more electronegative than H), creating an uneven charge distribution and a permanent dipole moment, so it can exhibit dipole–dipole interactions.