The history of carbocations dates back to 1891 when G. Merling reported that he added bromine to tropylidene (cycloheptatriene) and then heated the product to obtain a crystalline, water-soluble material, C 7H 7Br.
A historia dos carbocatións remóntase a 1891 cando G. Merling informou que engadira bromo ao tropilideno (cicloheptatrieno) e despois quentara o produto para obter un material hidrosoluble cristalino, C 7H 7Br.