Patent ID: 7851092

Claim:
An electrolyte comprising: an alkali metal salt; a polar aprotic solvent; and a redox shuttle additive that is an aromatic compound having at least one aromatic ring with four or more electronegative substituents, two or more oxygen atoms bonded to the aromatic ring, and no hydrogen atoms bonded to the aromatic ring; and wherein: the electrolyte solution is substantially non-aqueous; and the redox shuttle additive has the Formula IA or IC: X 1-8 are each independently selected from —F, —Cl, —Br, haloalkyl, —CN, or —NO 2 ; and Y and Z are independently a group having a N, B, C, Si, S, or P atom, wherein the N, B, C, Si, S, or P atom is attached to at least one of the two or more oxygen atoms bonded to the aromatic ring.