YO. NO, evidence now exists in support of the view that these are electron-transfe-processes in which radical anions and free radicals are intermediates3 When the chemistry of a, p- dinitrocumene (1) was first described it was emphasized that the p-nitro grow facilitates the displacements of eq 1; in no instance did a-nitrocumene (2) react with nucleophiles under conditions which resulted in complete reaction when a, p-dinitrocumene was employed. 2 ...