Which statement best describes the $C-H$ bond in the methyl cation (${\mathrm{CH}}_3+$)?

• A. It is a sigma bond formed by the overlap of an sp$2_{}$ hybrid orbital of carbon with the 1s orbital of hydrogen.
• B. It is a pi bond formed by the sideways overlap of p orbitals.
• C. It is a nonpolar covalent bond due to equal sharing of electrons between carbon and hydrogen.
• D. It is a sigma bond formed by the overlap of an sp$3_{}$ hybrid orbital of carbon with the 1s orbital of hydrogen.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the hybridization state of the carbon atom in the methyl cation (CH\_3\^+). Since the methyl cation has only three bonds and no lone pairs, the carbon is sp\^2 hybridized.
2. Recall that in sp\^2 hybridization, one s orbital mixes with two p orbitals to form three sp\^2 hybrid orbitals, which lie in a plane with 120° angles between them, and one unhybridized p orbital remains perpendicular to this plane.
3. Understand that each C-H bond in the methyl cation is formed by the overlap of one of the carbon's sp\^2 hybrid orbitals with the 1s orbital of a hydrogen atom, creating a sigma (\sigma) bond.
4. Recognize that pi (\pi) bonds are formed by sideways overlap of unhybridized p orbitals, which is not the case here because the methyl cation has only sigma bonds to hydrogens and an empty p orbital.
5. Conclude that the C-H bonds in the methyl cation are sigma bonds formed by the overlap of sp\^2 hybrid orbitals of carbon with the 1s orbitals of hydrogen atoms, and the bond is polar covalent due to the difference in electronegativity, not nonpolar.