Question: what is the difference between homolytic and heterolytic cleavage?
Answer: In heterolytic cleavage, a covalent bond breaks in such a way that one fragment gets both of the shared electrons. In homolytic cleavage, a covalent bond breaks in such a way that each fragment gets one of the shared electrons. The word heterolytic comes from the Greek heteros, "different", and lysis, "loosening".