Why is carbocation positive?

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Why is carbocation positive?

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Answer 1 · 2016-06-25T15:14:48

Because around the carbon centre there are only $5$ $5$ $electrons$ $"electrons"$ .

Explanation:

For carbon, $Z = 6$ $Z=6$ , and thus there are $6$ $6$ positive nuclear charges.

For methane, $C H_{4}$ $CH_4$ , there are $2$ $2$ inner shell electrons i.e. ( $1 s$ $1s$ ), and 8 electrons in the $4 \times C - H$ $4xxC-H$ bonds. Carbon has a half share of these, and thus the carbon atom is presumed to be associated with $6$ $6$ electrons that precisely balance the $Z = 6$ $Z=6$ nuclear charge to give a formally neutral carbon.

For a carbocation, $R_{3} C^{+}$ $R_3C^+$ , there are only 5 electrons associated with the carbon; and hence the carbon bears a formal positive charge.

Let's try another question. Dichlorcarbene $C l_{2} C :$ $Cl_2C:$ is not something you could put in a bottle; it is a species with which you could do a reaction. Can you tell me the formal charge of $dichlorcarbene$ $"dichlorcarbene"$ ?

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Why is carbocation positive?

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