The structure of triphenylmethyl cation is given below. This is very stable, and some of its salts can be stored for months. Explain the cause of high stability of this cation.
Triphenylmethyl cation is very stable because the +ve charge of methyl carbon is delocalised in three phenyl rings. In each phenyl ring, +ve charge is developed on 2 ortho position and para position, i.e. three resonating structures. Thus, the total resonating structures given by triphenylmethyl cation are nine. Hence, it is very stable.