CBS-QB3 energy calculations show that the formation of a stable triplet cation for alkylperoxy radicals is dependent on factors other than the stability of the daughter cations exclusively. We have found that in cases where the daughter ions are not capable of stabilizing the cation through hyperconjugation, it is possible for the triplet cation to be bound. In many circumstances, CBS-QB3 calculations have found bound triplet cation states with 'negative dissociation energies.' These results are attributed to the effects that electron donating/withdrawing substituents have on the spin and charge densities of the resulting cations. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.