From a mechanistic point of view, the cyclic voltammetry shows that the oxidation potential of 4-ethylbiphenyl 1a in a mixture of THF and acetonitrile is sharply lower than the one of 1,4dicyanobenzene (Figure ) which indeed implies that the benzylic substrate is preferentially directly oxidized at the anode. Concerning the cathodic process, 1,4-dicyanobenzene displays a reduction peak which is reversible and corresponds to the formation of persistent radical anion B, while the benzylic substrate is not reduced in the range studied as well as pivaldehyde.