Question

Methanethiol, CH3SH, has a substantial dipole mement (1.52) even though carbon and sulfer have identical electronegativities. Explain.

Answer 1

Answer:

The whole molecule is polar because Sulfur has lone pairs but Carbon doesn't. Lone pairs count more toward polarity, shifting dipole toward S.

Explanation:

Even though carbon and sulfur have identical values of electronegativities, the molecule, $CH_3SH$ is polar because of the presence of the lone pairs on the sulfur atom.

The C-S bond is not polar because the both the atoms have electronegatiivty. But S has lone pairs which can attract the bond pairs of the bond between the S and H and thus acquires slightly negative charge and H acquires slightly positive charge.