AbstractThe13C chemical shifts of several alkyl and phenyl substituted pyrylium perchlorates, together with related pyridine and pyridinium salts, are reported. The shifts in the isoelectronic series benzene, pyridine, pyrylium cation correlate well with charge densities calculated by INDO MO theory. Charge densities also account for the shift changes found at C‐3, C‐4 and C‐5 for protonation of pyridine and 2,4,6‐trimethylpyridine. The shift changes observed on protonation for C‐2 and C‐6, along the series pyridine, 2,4,6‐trimethylpyridine and 2,4,6‐triphenylpyridine can only be rationalized by consideration of both charge density and π‐bond order changes. The effects of alkyl substitution on the shifts of the pyrylium cations are not accounted for by charge density changes. Empirical correlations of these shifts with literature data for the alkylbenzenes and the shifts of the phenyl substituted 6‐membered hetero