Heterolytic Fission: Uneven Bond Breaking and Ion Formation
What Is Heterolytic Fission?
Definition
Heterolytic fission
In chemistry, heterolytic fission refers to the breaking of a covalent bond where both bonding electrons are transferred to one of the two bonded atoms.
This process results in the formation of two ions:
- A cation (positively charged ion) that loses the electron pair.
- An anion (negatively charged ion) that gains the electron pair.
- Consider the molecule hydrogen chloride (H-Cl).
- When this bond undergoes heterolytic fission: $$
\text{H-Cl} \rightarrow \text{H}^+ + \text{Cl}^-
$$ - Here, the chlorine atom takes both electrons from the bond, becoming a negatively charged chloride ion ($ \text{Cl}^- $), while the hydrogen atom becomes a positively charged proton ($ \text{H}^+ $).
Heterolytic fission typically occurs in polar covalent bonds where there is a significant difference in electronegativity between the two bonded atoms.
