Question

Which of the following is true for carbocations?

• A. It has a positively charged carbon.
• B. It has a carbon atom bearing six valence electrons
• C. It has a negative charge
• D. It has a carbon atom bearing 8 valence electrons

Answer 1

Answer: (A), (B)

It has a carbon atom bearing six valence electrons

As the name suggests,
Carbocation $\Rightarrow$ Carbon + Cation (Positive charge)

An organic species which has a carbon atom bearing six electrons in its outermost orbit and has a positive charge is called a carbocation.

How six electrons?

$\to$ Carbon completes its octet by bonding covalently. But here carbon has positive charge, so six electrons (3 of carbon and 3 of bonded atom)

$H-\stackrel{H}{\stackrel{|}{\underset{H}{\underset{|}{C^{\oplus }}}}}$