Photophysical and photochemical properties of C-82 (C-2 isomer) have been examined by using a laser flash photolysis method. The transient absorption band of the triplet excited state was observed at 750 nm accompanying an absorption band tail in the near-IR region. The intrinsic triplet lifetime and intersystem crossing quantum yield were estimated to be 56 mu s and <0.01, respectively, which were smaller than those of C-60 and C-70. An absorption band of the radical anion of C-82 appeared at 897 nm by chemical reduction with donors such as tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene. Photoinduced reduction of C-82 was also observed by adopting N,N,N',N'-tetramethy1-1,4-phenylenediamine as a donor. By photosensitized reaction, oxidation of C-82 was confirmed. The reaction rate constant between C-82 and BP.+ was 1.0 x 10(10) M-1 s(-1), indicating effective radical ion formation as observed with other fullerenes (C-60, C-70, and C-76).