In the present study insight was gained on the larger complexity of cationic mixtures of diaryl (phi,phi-carotene, isorenieratene) and aliphatic (psi,psi-carotene, lycopene) carotenes, prepared by reaction with BF3-etherate, compared with beta,beta-carotene. Chemical reactions of the mono- and dications prepared in situ from the allylic carotenols beta,beta-caroten-4-ol (isocryptoxanthin) and beta