1. An organic ion or reactive intermediate containing a carbon atom with a negative charge and three bonds.
Usage: chemistry; technical term used in organic chemistry and biochemistry

Examples

• The carbanion intermediate is stabilized by electron-withdrawing groups attached to the carbon.
• In this reaction mechanism, a carbanion forms as the nucleophile attacks the electrophilic carbon.
• The stability of a carbanion depends on the nature of the substituents bonded to the negatively charged carbon.
• Grignard reagents are known to generate carbanion-like species during organic synthesis.
• The carbanion is the opposite of a carbocation in terms of charge distribution.