Organic compounds with a charge

[member 392791]

Why is it that when you have an organic compound with a charge on the C, that charge takes the place of one hydrogen bonded to that C?

 

[pa5tabear]

A carbon atom has a formal charge of zero when it has four bonds. If it has a formal charge of +1, the carbon atom is bonding to three atoms, and is associating with only three electrons. This does not balance the charge of the nucleus, which is always four protons, so the formal charge is +1.

Does this answer the question?