The intermediate from thermolysis of diazodicyanoimidazole (DDI, 1) is highly electrophilic; for example, it is trapped by aryl halides to form stable aromatic haloylides.3 Structure 2, with the negative charge stabilized by the two cyano groups and the aromatic sextet, has been suggested for this intermediate.3 Form 3 is also a possible structure. If the intermediate is best represented by 2 rather than 3, then nitrogen elimination should be enhanced in polar solvents due to solvation of 2. In addition, since the solid phase stability of DDI is greatly increased in the crystalline 18-crown-6 complex, the solution phase stability of the DDI-18-crown-6 complex is of interest. A similar stabilization has been noted for aryldiazonium salts stabilized as “host-guest” complexes.4-5. © 1979, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.