Methylene chloride (CH2Cl2) has fewer chlorine atoms than chloroform (CHCl3). Nevertheless, methylene chloride has a larger molecular dipole moment than chloroform. Explain.

Explanation has been given below.

Explanation:

Chloroform has three polar C-Cl bonds. Methylene chloride has two polar C-Cl bonds. So it is expected that chloroform should be more polar and posses higher dipole moment than methylene chloride. Two factors are liable for the opposite trend observed in dipole moments of methylene chloride and chloroform. First one is the number of hyperconjugative hydrogen atoms present in a molecule. Hyperconjugation occurs with vacant d-orbital of Cl atom. Hyperconjugation amplifies charge separation in a molecule resulting higher dipole moment. Methylene chloride has two hyperconjugative hydrogen atoms and chloroform has one hyperconjugative hydrogen atom. Therefore methylene chloride should have higher charge separation as compared to chloroform. Second one is induction of opposite polarity in a C-Cl bond by another C-Cl bond in a molecule. Higher the opposite induction of polarity, lower the charge separation in a molecule and hence lower the dipole moment of a molecule. Chloroform has three C-Cl bonds and methylene chloride has two C-Cl bonds. Therefore opposite induction is higher for chloroform resulting it's lower dipole moment.