CD Spectroelectrochemistry, a Method for the Characterization of Chiral Electron Transfer Reagents and Chiral Reaction Intermediates

New information on the properties of electron-transfer compounds should become available through the combination of chiroptic and electrochemical measurement. This approach was tested on bianthraquinone 1. The CD spectra of the two enantiomers of 12(⊙⊖) were thereby obtained. Comparison of the electronic spectrum of 12(⊙⊖) with those of the 9,10-anthraquinone radical anion and dianion revealed that 12(⊙⊖) should be formulated as a bisradical anion (R = CO2CH3).