A combined experimental and theoretical approach has been employed to establish the basicity and proton affinity of SiF 4 and the structure of SiF 4 H ϩ . The kinetics and energetics for the transfer of a proton between SiF 4 , N 2 , and Xe have been explored experimentally in helium at 0.35 Ϯ 0.02 torr and 297 Ϯ 3 K with a selected-ion flow tube apparatus. The results of equilibrium constant measurements are reported that provide a basicity and proton affinity for SiF 4 at 297 Ϯ 3 K of 111.4 Ϯ 1.0 and 117.7 Ϯ 1.2 kcal mol Ϫ1 , respectively. These values are more than 2.5 kcal mol Ϫ1 lower than currently recommended values. The basicity order was determined to be GB(Xe) Ͼ GB(SiF 4 ) Ͼ GB(N 2 ), while the proton-affinity order was shown to be PA(Xe) Ͼ PA(N 2 ) Ͼ PA (SiF 4 ). Ab initio molecular orbital computations at MP4SDTQ(fc)/ 6-311ϩϩG(3df,3pd) using geometries from B3LYP/6-31ϩG(d,p) indicate a value for PA(SiF 4 ) ϭ 118.7 kcal mol Ϫ1 that is in good agreement with experiment. Also, the most stable structure of SiF 4 H ϩ is shown to correspond to a core SiF 3 ϩ cation solvated by HF with a binding energy of 43.9 kcal mol Ϫ1 . Support for this structure is found in separate SIFT collision induced dissociation (CID) measurements that indicate exclusive loss of HF. (J Am Soc Mass Spectrom 1999, 10, 848 -855)