What is formed when the C-Cl bond breaks in a CFC molecule due to UV radiation?

When the carbon-chlorine (C-Cl) bond in a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) molecule breaks due to UV radiation, it results in the formation of chlorine radicals. This process occurs because the high energy from ultraviolet light is sufficient to break the strong C-Cl bond, a phenomenon known as homolytic bond cleavage.

During this cleavage, each atom retains one of the shared electrons from the bond, leading to the generation of two separate entities: a chlorine radical (Cl•) and a carbon-centered radical. Chlorine radicals are significant because they are highly reactive and can initiate further reactions, particularly in the atmosphere, contributing to ozone depletion.

The other options, while related to chlorinated compounds, do not accurately reflect the immediate product of the bond breaking. Chlorinated hydrocarbons could be formed as a result of further reactions involving the chlorine radicals, but are not the direct product of the bond breakage. Chlorine gas is a different compound that would require a different reaction pathway and conditions. Chloroform, while also a chlorinated compound, is not produced directly from this bond cleavage; it is a separate substance that could form under specific conditions involving different precursors.