Chemistry
(a) Homolytic bond fission (or cleavage) takes place during the formation of a radical. Why is it named so?
(b) Give an example of radical formation.
(c) Comment on the reactivity of free radicals.
Chemical Bonding
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Answer
(a) Homolytic bond fission is so named because the bond breaks symmetrically. When a covalent bond breaks symmetrically, radicals are formed. Each atom retains one electron from the original covalent bond, resulting in two neutral species with unpaired electrons called free radicals.
(b) A common example is the homolytic cleavage of chlorine molecule.
Cl2 ⟶ Cl ● + Cl ●
Each chlorine atom gets one electron and forms a chlorine free radical.
(c) Free radicals are highly reactive, unstable and short-lived because they have an unpaired electron. They quickly try to pair this electron by reacting with other molecules or radicals.
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