The aromatic hydrocarbon shown can form the cations drawn after loss of hydride. Which cation shown is the most stable?

AStructure A
BStructure B
CStructure C
DStructure D

Answer: B

The most stable is the benzyl cation, the second structure, because the positive charge is delocalised into the ring (ortho and para positions). Isopropyl, ethyl and methyl cations have only inductive and hyperconjugative stabilisation, decreasing in that order.

Practice General Organic Chemistry I: Electronic Effects More on Carbocation and carbanion stability from structures

Previous questionNext question

More questions on Carbocation and carbanion stability from structures

Loss of a hydride ion from a C-H bond of the compound shown can give two different carbocations. The one formed preferentially is NEET level
The carbon bearing the lone pair in the anion shown has high s-character, which makes the anion far more stable than an alkyl carbanion. Wha... NEET level
The ion shown is more stable than the n-propyl cation mainly because of NEET level
A saturated bicyclic hydrocarbon is shown for reference. Which of the carbocations shown is the least stable? JEE Main level
The hydrocarbon shown is for reference. Which of the carbanions shown is the most stable? JEE Main level
The cation shown is much more stable than the ethyl cation even though oxygen is electronegative. This is because JEE Main level