Silylnitrilium (6) and Silyloxonium (7) ions have been synthesized by reaction of 2,3-benzo-1,4,5,6,7-pentaphenyl-7-silanorbornadiene, 4, with trityl tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate in benzene in the presence of acetonitrile and diethyl ether, respectively, and have been identified by NMR spectroscopy, supported by density functional calculations of the NMR chemical shift. Solvent-free 2,3-benzo-1,4,5,6,7-pentaphenyl-7-silanorbornadien-7-ylium, 3, could not be detected under the applied conditions (room temperature, aromatic hydrocarbons or -60 °C, dichloromethane). The results of density functional calculations for the model compound 2,3-benzo-7-phenyl-7-silanorbornadien-7-ylium, 8, and isomeric C 16 H 13 Si + species suggest that 3 undergoes in hydrocarbon solution a facile exothermic rearrangement to the highly reactive π-type complex PhSi + //tetraphenylnaphthalene.