Successful isolation of a series of pure (crystalline) salts of labile quinone anion radicals suitable for X-ray crystallographic analysis allows for the first time their rigorous structural distinction as "separated" ion pairs (SIPs) vs "contact" ion pairs (CIPs). The quantitative evaluation of the precise changes in the geometries of these quinones (Q) upon one-electron reduction to afford the anion radical (Q-(center dot)) is viewed relative to the corresponding (two-electron) reduction to the hydroquinone (H(2)Q) via the Pauling bond-length/bond-order paradigm. Structural consequences between such separated and contact ion pairs as defined in the solid state with those extant in solution are explored in the context of their spectral (EPR, UV-vis) properties and isomerization of tightly bound CIPs. Moreover, the SIP/CIP dichotomy is also examined in intermolecular interactions for rapid (self-exchange) electron transfer between Q-(center dot) and Q with second-order rate constants of k(ET) approximate to 10(8) M-1 s(-1), together with the spectral observation of the paramagnetic intermediates [Q,Q-(center dot)] leading to 1:1 adducts, as established by X-ray crystallography.