Discuss more on bond cleavage

Bond cleavage refers to the breaking of a chemical bond. There are two main types:

1. Homolytic cleavage: This occurs when a covalent bond breaks symmetrically, with each atom retaining one of the shared electrons. This results in the formation of free radicals, which are highly reactive species with an unpaired electron. For example, the cleavage of a C-H bond in methane (CH₄) under UV light can produce a methyl radical (•CH₃) and a hydrogen radical (•H).

   CH₄ → •CH₃ + •H

2. Heterolytic cleavage: This occurs when a covalent bond breaks asymmetrically, with one atom taking both of the shared electrons. This results in the formation of ions: a carbocation (a positively charged carbon species) and a carbanion (a negatively charged carbon species), or other charged species. For example, the cleavage of a C-Cl bond in chloromethane (CH₃Cl) can produce a methyl carbocation (CH₃⁺) and a chloride ion (Cl⁻).

   CH₃Cl → CH₃⁺ + Cl⁻