In reference to carbocations, what do we mean by stability? Are not all carbocations high energy species?

Question

In reference to carbocations, what do we mean by stability?  Are not all carbocations high energy species?

Madison Anderson · Accepted Answer

Because when we talk of stability, we mean relative stability.

We could depict the formation of the carbocation in this manner: #R-X rightleftharpoonsR^(+) + X^-# A carbon-halogen bond is broken whatever the identity of the #R# group, and the reactive species, the #R^+# carbocation, might have a transient existence, microseconds to milliseconds, depending on solvent, temperature, and concentration. Nevertheless, its lifetime is prolonged in the case of substituents which stabilize the positive charge, and thus reactivity tends to proceed thru this route. However, methyl carbocation is a high energy species that would need extremely forcing conditions because it is a zero stabilization species.

Sarah Angotti · Answer

undefined Stability in reference to carbocations refers to the relative ease with which a carbocation can exist without undergoing further reaction. Not all carbocations have the same level of stability; some are more stable than others due to factors such as resonance stabilization, hyperconjugation, and inductive effects. While carbocations are generally considered high-energy species, their stability varies depending on the molecular structure and surrounding environment.