OCH3 is an electron withdrawing group. So it will result in -R effect, making it less stable. Which leaves only option 4.Suraj M said:
Oh, right. It has a +R effect, so more stable. Thank you!Suraj M said:
At school we don't have any of these on syllabus, so I'm doing it on my own.Suraj M said:
A carbocation is a positively charged carbon atom that is missing one electron. It is a highly reactive intermediate in many organic chemical reactions.
The stability of a carbocation directly affects the rate of a reaction. More stable carbocations are formed faster, leading to faster reactions.
The stability of a carbocation is influenced by the number of substituents attached to the positively charged carbon atom, the presence of resonance structures, and the inductive effect of neighboring atoms.
The inductive effect of neighboring atoms can either stabilize or destabilize a carbocation. Electron-donating groups, such as alkyl groups, can increase stability by donating electrons, while electron-withdrawing groups, such as halogens, can decrease stability by withdrawing electrons.
The stability of a carbocation can be predicted by considering the three factors mentioned above: the number of substituents, resonance, and inductive effects. Generally, the more substituents and resonance structures a carbocation has, the more stable it will be.