noun

• An organic cation in which the positive charge is located on a carbon atom.

  ‘The key step in a unimolecular reaction is the formation of the carbon cation, or carbonium ion, by the departure of the leaving group.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘This paper reviews the concept of carbonium ions, their formation, stability and reactions.’
  • ‘If a carbonium ion is involved in lysozyme catalysis then the TS structure will involve a planar, sp-hybridized C - 1.’
  • ‘Geometry optimisation using density function theory at the pBP / DN - level shows the carbonium ion to be trigonal bipyramidal.’
  • ‘The presence of a water molecule will provide the opportunity for the carbonium ion, and the left side of the ring, to become stable.’