What is Carbene?
[[File:Carbene.svg|thumb|60px|A carbene]] A '''carbene''' is a [[molecule]] with a [[carbon]] atom that has two [[chemical bond|bonds]] and two other [[electron]]s that do not make any bonds. Since the carbon has only 6 electrons around it, it is quite reactive. The general formula can be written as R-(C:)-R'. A carbene can be a ''singlet'' or a ''triplet''. In the first type, the two electrons that do not make bonds are like a [[lone pair]]. They both stay in the same [[atomic orbital|orbital]]. In a triplet carbene instead, the two electron stay in different orbitals. Here they both have the same [[spin (physics)|spin]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.britannica.com/science/carbene | title=Carbene &#124; chemistry &#124; Britannica }}</ref> Carbenes can do many reactions. They can be both [[electrophile]]s and [[nucleophile]]s. They like doing [[addition reaction]]s on [[double bond]]s. They are also found in [[cheletropic reaction]]s. Most carbenes are very unstable. However, some can exist for a long time. A famous example is [[Grubbs' catalyst]], which was developed by [[Robert Grubbs]]. ==References== {{reflist}} {{Functional group}} [[Category:Functional groups]]