The protonation of a series of polymethylphenols in fluorosulfonic acid at -50' has been studied. For those phenols with no substituent at C-4, protonaton occurs exclusively at that position. Isomeric ions were obtained for all phenols with a methyl substituent at C-4.4-Methylphenol and 2,4-dimethylphenol each gave three ions, one from 0-protonation and two from protonation a t C-2 and C-4, whereas 2,4-dimethylphenol, 2,3,4-, 2,4,5-, and 3,4,5-trimethylphenol, and 2,3,4,5-tetramethylphenol gave only the C-protonated species. These studies establish that although electronic factors are important, steric factors play a predominant role in determining the relative proportions of the various species.BLACKSTOCK, KEN~YETH E. RICHARDS et GRAEME J. WRIGHT. Can. J. Chem. [Traduit par le journal]