Potential energy carbocation rearrangement

In a polar solvent, a carbocation can rearrange if the result is a lower potential energy carbocation. 

Siebert, M. R. Zhang, J. Addepalli, S. V. TantiUo, D. J. Hase, W. L. The need for enzymatic steering in abietic acid biosynthesis Gas-phase chemical dynamics simulations of carbocation rearrangements on a bifurcating potential energy surface, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011,133, 8335-8343. 

A-D. Potential energy surfaces for hypothetical carbocation rearrangements, highlighting the continuum of possibilities. E. Definitions of stationary points on a potential energy surface. 

The memory effecf observed in the solvolysis of norborn-2-en-7-ylmethyl-X systems has been investigated by defining the reaction potential energy surface and then carrying out a dynamical study. The surface shows that upon loss, multiphase rearrangements concertedly yield the two most stable carbocations, G and L, connected by... 

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