A computational study (DFT, MP2, and GIAO-DFT) of substituent effects on protonation regioselectivity in b,b-disubstituted vinyldiazonium cations: formation of highly delocalized carbenium/ diazonium dications Protonation reactions were studied by quantum-chemical theoretical methods (DFT and MP2) for a series of b,b-disubstituted vinyldiazonium cations (1 R -14 R ), bearing stabilizing electron-releasing groups (H 3 COÀ, (H 3 C) 2 NÀ, H 3 CÀ, (H 3 C) 3 SiÀ, as well as halogens F, Cl). Taking into account the various mesomeric forms that these species can represent, protonations at C a , at the b-substituent, and at N b were considered. The energetically most favored pathway in all cases was C a protonation, which formally corresponds to trapping of the mesomeric diazonium ylid. Based on the computed properties (optimized geometries, NPA-charge densities, and multinuclear GIAO-NMR chemical shifts), the resulting dications can best be viewed as carbenium/diazonium dications, in which the carbocation is further delocalized into the b-substituent. For the a-nitro derivative 15, protonation of the nitro group was predicted to be the most favored reaction, while C a -and N b -protonation resulted in the loss of the nitronium ion.Vinyldiazonium ions are viable precursors to vinyl cations via the dediazoniation route. [23,24] Early progress on solvolytic generation of vinyl cations by deamination of suitable substituted (www.interscience.wiley.com)