Why is phenyl carbocation unstable?

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SUMMARY

The phenyl carbocation is inherently unstable due to the inability to delocalize the positive charge without compromising its aromaticity. While aromatic compounds like benzene exhibit stability, the presence of a positive charge in the phenyl carbocation leads to high reactivity. This discussion clarifies that although aromatic carbocations can be more stable than their non-aromatic counterparts, they remain highly reactive and cannot achieve the same level of stability as neutral aromatic compounds.

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Homework Statement


I read in my textbook that phenyl carbocation is unstable, but I can see that it's aromatic- why is it unstable then?

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The Attempt at a Solution


I noticed nothing can stabilize or delocalize the positive charge because then it'd lose aromaticity but till it has aromatic nature it should show stability
 
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"Stable" is relative - benzene is stable, but it can be still burnt. Aromatic carbocation can be more stable than non-aromatic carbocations, but it will be still highly reactive as all carbocations are.
 
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alright thank you very much :D
 

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