In the Chemistry and the Environment box on free radicals in this
chapter, we discussed the importance of the hydroxyl radical in
reacting with and eliminating many atmospheric pollutants.
However, the hydroxyl radical does not clean up everything. For
example, chlorofluorocarbons—which destroy stratospheric
ozone—are not attacked by the hydroxyl radical. Consider the
hypothetical reaction by which the hydroxyl radical might
react with a chlorofluorocarbon:
OH( g) + CF2Cl2( g)¡HOF( g) + CFCl2( g)
Use bond energies to explain why this reaction is improbable.
(The C¬F bond energy is 552 kJ>mol.)
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