Abstract
Certain 1,2‐diactivated olefins XCH=CHY (I) in which X and Y are electron‐withdrawing groups not themselves reduced under the conditions used were electrolyzed in the presence of counterions (M+) chosen from the group Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+, 
. Cyclic voltammetric techniques permitted the measurement of the change in rate of decomposition of the anion radical as M+ was varied. Bulk electrolyses yielded reduced coupled products whose identity and distribution varied with changes in M+.