The first step in gas-phase electrophilic aromatic substitution (EAS) reactions of alkyl carbenium ions with fluoro-, chloro-and bromo-benzene, furan, thiophene and pyrrole, has been investigated by using high-pressure, chemical-ionization and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) and tandem mass spectrometry, MS/MS, have been utilized for ion-structure determination. The coexistence of and complexes in these reactions is a means of rationalizing the results. It has been established that the extent of -complex formation decreases with an increased capability of the aromatic to donate electron density. Semi-empirical computations indicate that as -electron density within the aromatic moiety increases, the energy difference between the more stable complex and the complex increases, which is also consistent with experimental observations. The extent of bonding between the alkyl group and the aromatic of certain complexes is sufficiently weak that isomerization of the alkyl moiety takes place.