The simplest explanation for these shifts in the infrared spectra is there exists in coal single electron donors which are capable of transferring an electron to TCNQ in the ground state. All of the TCNQ placed in the coal appears to be converted to the radical anion as displayed in the IR spectrum for all of the coals except for the 100% loading.

The Wyodak, Upper Freeport and Pocahontas No. 3 samples containing DPPD display a decrease in spin density as compared to the starting coals. Coincident with this decrease is a loss or decrease of the narrow inertinite signal in the esr spectrum of these coals. The Pittsburgh No. 8 coal sample containing DPPD also displays a loss of spin density as compared to the starting coal but there is no change in the esr spectrum. These results compare well with earlier work involving 4-vinylpyridine and the same coal samples. We discovered the presence of poly(4-vinylpyridine) in our coal samples and a concurrent loss of inertinite radical density. It is possible that the inertinite radicals may initiate the polymerization or in the present work may abstract hydrogen from DPPD. No C=N stretch was displayed in the IR spectrum to substantiate this claim.