The acid-catalyzed rearrangement in THF/TFA (5:1, v/v) of cyclohepta-1,3,5-trienes containing an α,β-unsaturated substituent at C-7 was investigated. 7-Ethynylcyclohepta-1,3,5-triene (1a) and its 1,4-di-tert-butyl (1b), 1,5-di-tert-butyl (1c), and 2,5-di-tert-butyl (1d) derivatives underwent isomerization to phenylallenes 2, 3, 7, and 3, respectively. 2,5-Di-tertbutyl-7-vinylcyclohepta-1,3,5-triene (17) gave a mixture (66:34) of (E)-and (Z)-1,4-di-tert-butyl-2-(1-propenyl)benzene (20). A mechanism involving the protonation of the norcaradiene tautomer (NCD), which is in equilibrium with cycloheptatriene (CHT) 1 or 17, followed by the cleavage of a three-membered ring to give an arenium ion, is proposed. In contrast, 2,5-di-tert-butyl-7-cyanocyclohepta-1,3,5-triene (12) and bis(cyclohepta-2,4,6-trien-1-yl)ethyne (21) did not