Draw the mechanism for the formation of the carbocation
obtained. Explain why the solution of this carbocation is colored.
See below for information on the experiment:
To test for a carbocation in a lab, we did the following:
1) Dissolve a small amount of diphenylmethanol into methanol,
and add concentrated sulfuric acid dropwise. This caused the
solution to turn yellow/orange.
2) Dissolve a small amount of benzophenone into methanol, and
add concentrated sulfuric acid dropwise. The solution remained
clear.