o-Anisaldehyde and its 5-Br, 5-F, 5-CF3, 5-CN, 5N02, and 5-COMe derivatives are protonated at the formylgroup in 1: l SbFs-FS03H/S02 (or S02ClF) to give persistent carboxonium ions as mixtures of Z and E geometrical isomers. The cyano, nitro, and acetyl substituents are also protonated, leading to dications and additional geometrical isomers in the nitro and acetylcases. The carboxonium ions are predomiriantly in the Z, syn ...