Breaking A Covalent Bond

Question 1

Draw the mechanism for heterolytic fission

Answer 1

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Question 2

Explain heterolytic fission

Answer 2

Each fragment gets a different outcome: one gets both the shared electrons & therefore has a negative charge, the other fragment gets neither, so has a positive charge. Ions are given as the products

Question 3

Draw the mechanism for homolytic fission of atoms X & Y

Answer 3

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Question 4

Explain homolytic fission

Answer 4

Each fragment gets the same (one of the shared electrons) therefore fragments given are neutral, but very reactive as they have an unpaired electron

Question 5

Define photodissociation

Answer 5

High energy uv from the Sun causes bonds in certain molecules to break via homolytic fission

Question 6

Define radical

Answer 6

A species with an unpaired electron (will react further)