Insertion of a strongly pi-pi stacked chloranilate pair into an M4 arrangement preorganized within a large macrocyclic ligand (M = Zn2+ and Cu2+).

Four Zn(II) ions arranged within a pyridine-modified large phenolate-containing macrocyle Lpy2- encapsulate two chloranilate ions in a double bis-didentate bridging fashion; the ligands are strongly pi-pi stacked with each other with a short distance of 3.27 A and are electrochemically reduced at the same potential of -1.00 V to produce a reasonably stable biradical species with T1/2 = 60 min at 25 degrees C.