Final answer:
In acidic cleavage of ethers, the C-O bond is more readily cleaved when the carbon atom is sp³ hybridized, which makes it suitable for replacement with halogens like Br or I.
Step-by-step explanation:
The C-O bond in ethers is more readily cleaved and replaced with a halogen such as Br (bromine) or I (iodine) when the carbon atom connected to the ether oxygen is sp³ hybridized. This type of hybridization implies that the carbon is bonded to three other atoms with single bonds and has a lone pair in the fourth sp³ orbital. Halogens like Br and I are good leaving groups due to their ability to stabilize the negative charge that results from the cleavage of the C-O bond in an ether.
Carbon atoms that are sp² or sp hybridized tend to have a greater electronegativity, as the s-character in their hybrid orbitals is higher. Increased s-character leads to an increase in the electronegativity of carbon, which in turn affects the polarity of bonds formed with this carbon atom. For instance, sp hybridized carbons are the most electronegative due to the higher percentage of s-character in the sp orbital compared to sp² and sp³ orbitals.