Arrange the following carbocations in decreasing order of stability: Benzyl cation (I), Allyl cation — Reaction Mechanism Chemistry Question
Question
Arrange the following carbocations in decreasing order of stability: Benzyl cation (I), Allyl cation (II), $tert$ -Butyl cation (III), Methyl cation (IV).
Answer: C
💡 Solution & Explanation
Benzyl and Allyl cations are highly stabilized by resonance. The $tert$ -butyl cation is highly stabilized by 9 $\alpha$ -hydrogens (hyperconjugation). All three are exceptionally stable compared to the methyl cation.
💬Ask on WhatsApp →
Still have doubts about this question?
Send it to our AI chemistry tutor on WhatsApp — gets answered in minutes