Receiving " syntax error near unexpected token `then'" from remote Linux server with if, then, fi

I need help in determining why I get

syntax error near unexpected token `then'

from the following command: for vm in {20..30} ; do ssh -q -o "StrictHostKeyChecking no" 192.168.210.${vm} "hostname; echo $password | su - root -c \"\ if $(whoami | grep -q root);then echo Good; else echo Bad;fi \"" ; done vm201scf001 -bash: -c: line 0: syntax error near unexpected token `then' -bash: -c: line 0: `\ if ;then echo Good; else echo Bad;fi ' This simple command does work though: for vm in {20..30} ; do ssh -q -o "StrictHostKeyChecking no" 192.168.210.${vm} "hostname; echo $password | su - root -c \"\uptime \"" ; done vm201scf001 22:11:41 up 422 days, 3:32, 0 users, load average: 0.28, 0.44, 0.52 Does the if, then, fi statement not work in this case? Please advise.