In my A-level chemistry course, one of the topics is on alkenes in which we have to learn that the major product of $\ce{H-\color{green}{X}}$ reactions with unsymmetrical alkenes is the one formed via the most stable intermediary carbocation (one with most alkyl groups attached). I want to know why it is the most stable carbocation that causes for the majority of the products and not the least stable since surely the carbocation that has the positive charge least equally distributed would cause for the most reactions as it would be the most polar.
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1The protonation of alkenes is a reversible process so the most energetically stable cation gets formed most. this reversibility is much faster than the capture of the cation by X- – Waylander Feb 13 '24 at 10:00
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similar: https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/30893/why-are-tertiary-carbocations-the-most-reactive-if-theyre-already-stable?rq=1 – Buck Thorn Feb 13 '24 at 10:01