For the following bond cleavages, use curved-arrows to show the electron flow and classify each as homolysis or heterolysis. Identify reactive intermediate produced as free radical, carbocation and carbanion:
H3CO−OCH3⟶CH3˙O+˙OCH3
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Solution
This is an example of homolytic fission. The bond pair of electrons is equally distributed between two atoms. Free radicals are formed as reaction intermediates.