Which of the following carbocations is the most stable?

Step-by-step solution

The stability of alkyl carbocations is primarily determined by hyperconjugation, which depends on the number of -hydrogens. More -hydrogens lead to more hyperconjugative structures, resulting in greater stability. Let us count the number of -hydrogens in each given carbocation: (A) CH₃- C H-CH₃ : The positively charged carbon is attached to two methyl groups. Number of -hydrogens = 3 + 3 = 6 . (B) CH₃-CH₂- C H-CH₂-CH₃ : The positively charged carbon is attached to two ethyl groups. Number of -hydrogens = 2 + 2 = 4