Considering the relative stabilities of the resultant free radicals, identify which of the indicated carbon-halogen bonds would have a higher value of the bond dissociation energy.

• A. Bond (a) would have a higher bond dissociation energy.
• B. Bond (b) would have a higher bond dissociation energy.
• C. Both bonds would have the same bond dissociation energy.
• D. We can not determine this theoretically.

Answer: (A)