Question

Which of the following is most stable?

Options

• 

• 

• 

• 

Answer 1

Explanation:

Benzene is aromatic (4n + 2 = 6 π electrons), so it gains large resonance (aromatic) stabilization.

The cyclopropenyl cation (a) is aromatic with 2 π electrons but is positively charged and highly ring‑strained, so it’s not as stable overall as neutral benzene.

The cyclopentadienyl cation (c) would have 4 π electrons and is antiaromatic (destabilized); (b) lacks a conjugated π system and so has no aromatic stabilization.