AKASH GOYAL AskiitiansExpert-IITD
Last Activity: 14 Years ago
Dear Ocean
In organic chemistry, hyperconjugation is the interaction of the electrons in a sigma bond (usually C–H or C–C) with an adjacent empty (or partially filled) non-bonding p-orbital or antibonding π orbital or filled π orbital, to give an extended molecular orbital that increases the stability of the system. Only electrons in bonds that are β to the positively charged carbon can stabilize a carbocation by hyperconjugation.
Hyperconjugation is a factor in explaining why increasing the number of alkyl substituents on a carbocation or radical centre leads to an increase in stability.
The stabilisation arises because the orbital interaction leads to the electrons being in a lower energy orbital
Of course, the C-C sigma-bond is free to rotate, and as it does so, each of the C-H sigma-bonds in turn undergoes the stabilising interaction.
So the ethyl cation has 3 C-H sigma-bonds that can be involved in hyperconjugation.
The more hyperconjuagtion there is, the greater the stabilisation of the system.
So for example, the t-butyl cation has 9 C-H sigma-bonds that can be involved in hyperconjugation. Hence (CH3)3C+ is more stable than CH3CH2+
The effect is not limited to C-H s-bonds, appropriate C-C sigma-bonds can also be involved in hyperconjugation.
All the best
AKASH GOYAL
AskiitiansExpert-IITD
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