Editing Reactive intermediate (section)

==Common features==
Reactive intermediates have several features in common:
* low [[concentration]] with respect to reaction substrate and final reaction product
* with the exception of carbanions, these intermediates do not obey the [[octet rule|lewis octet rule]], hence the high reactivity
* often generated on [[chemical decomposition]] of a [[chemical compound]]
* it is often possible to prove the existence of this species  by [[spectroscopy|spectroscopic]] means
* [[cage effect (chemistry)|cage effects]] have to be taken into account
* often stabilisation by [[conjugated system|conjugation]] or [[Resonance structure|resonance]]
* often difficult to distinguish from a [[transition state]]
* prove existence by means of [[chemical trap]]ping