Selected topics on organic electron donor-acceptor complexes of tetracyanoethylene

After a short introduction on the Mulliken theory of electron-donor acceptor complexes, this review deals with the theoretical and mechanistic aspects of the chemistry of ethene tetracarbonitrile (tetracyanoethylene) as electron acceptor in stable or transient electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complexes. Particular attention has been paid to some recent aspects of this chemistry, namely the formation of radical ion pairs, as shore living intermediates, in charge transfer-catalyzed reactions and reactions with supramolecules. The review refers mainly to the literature appeared in the last fifteen years.