Electrophilic benzylations of 2, 6-dimethylphenol and 2, 6-dimethylanisole under a variety of conditions yield ca. 40% and 70%, respectively, of the meta substitution products, although other electrophilic substitution reactions appear to proceed exclusively at the para positions. Similar results were obtained with other alkyl 2, 8dimethylphenyl ethers and with 2, 6- diallylanisole. A variety of possible mechanisms were investigated and shown to be ...