[figure: see text] Cationic complexes of Pt(II) and other late transition metals efficiently catalyze Friedel-Crafts acylations of moderately activated arenes by carboxylic acid anhydrides. The nature of the catalytically relevant species formed from (PhCN)2PtCl2 and AgSbF6 and their interactions with the substrates are studied by NMR and ESI-MS.