In the paper, the antiknock action of organic compounds was considered on the base of ionic and ion-radical processes, where ions, along with radicals, provide the chain reactions upon hydrocarbon fuel combustion. The results of quantum chemical calculations of electronic properties of a number of organic and inorganic compounds by semiempirical and empirical methods showed a good correlation between the antiknock activity of these compounds and their ionization potentials. It is established that the decrease in ionization potential corresponds to increasing antiknock activity.