Cyclic Voltammetry in the Absence of Excess Supporting Electrolyte Offers Extra Kinetic and Mechanistic Insights: Comproportionation of Anthraquinone and the Anthraquinone Dianion in Acetonitrile

Less is more: The use of voltammetry in the total or partial absence of supporting electrolyte provides kinetic and mechanistic information beyond that available from familiar fully supported voltammetry. For example, unsupported voltammetry demonstrates that the comproportionation of anthraquinone and anthraquinone dianion proceeds at a diffusionally controlled rate in acetonitrile, a result which could not be determined from “diffusion-only” voltammetry.