Chemical and electrochemical reduction of the products from the reactions of isoindolines and tetracyanoethylene

The reduction potentials of compounds resulting from the title reaction and containing one (4) or two (3) dicyanovinylidene moieties have been determined by means of cyclic voltammetry. Electrochemical reduction of the same compounds within the cavity of an EPR spectrometer led to the observation of radical species tentatively identified as the corresponding radical anions. EPR experiments have also provided indication that the first formed species in the butoxide reduction of 3 undergoes cleavage of the bond between the two heterocyclic systems evolving to radical anions identical to those obtained by similar reduction of compounds 4. Some models compounds have also been investigated for comparison purposes. © 1995 Elsevier Science Ltd Printed in Great Britain.