The following carbocation is stabilized by the interaction of the empty p orbital with [figure]
- empty * and empty * orbitals
- filled and filled orbitals
- empty and empty * orbitals
- empty * and filled orbitals
Answer
(2) filled and filled orbitals
Solution
The secondary benzylic carbocation Ph- +CH-CH3 is stabilized by:
1. Hyperconjugation from the adjacent methyl group: overlap of filled C-H orbitals with the empty p orbital ( p).
2. Resonance with the phenyl ring: overlap of filled orbitals of the aromatic ring with the empty p orbital ( p).
Thus, it is stabilized by filled and filled orbitals.
Answer: (2)