In order to study the orientation and distance dependence of TC-TI interactions between flavins in various redox states, two approaches to bis(isoal1oxazine) model compounds are presented: The [3.3]isoalloxazinophanes 2 and 4 and the rigid single-bridged 1,8-naphthalene-and l$-anthracene-linked bis(isoal1oxazine) systems 6, 8 and 26 were synthesized, characterized, and studied by spectroscopic methods and cyclic voltammetry. The experimental data are discussed in comparison with "monomeric" isoalloxazines and flexible singlechain trimethylene-linked bis(isoal1oxazine) reference compounds. X-Ray structure analyses are reported for the 1,8-bis(isoalloxazinyl)-9,1O-dihydroanthracene 26 and for 22 as an example of 1,8-disubstituted naphthalenes with strongly polar substituents comparable to 6.One of the most important features in flavin chemistry is the ability of the isoalloxazine system to exist in three different stable redox states: the flavoquinone, the flavoseniiquinone radical and the flavohydroquinone. These redox states can be further modified by protonation or deprotonation, formation of hydrogen bonds or steric factors. For these reasons, the flavocoenzymes flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) play an essential role in biological processes as mediators between nicotinamide nucleotides as exclusive two-electron carriers and typical oneelectron carriers such as ferredoxin iron sulfur clusters or metalloporphyrins. It has also been postulated that in the active site of some enzymes (e. g. NADPH-cytochrome P4,,-reductase) two flavins act as a single redox-active unit [*].The quinhydrone-like association of oxidized and reduced flavins was first discussed by Kuhn and Strobele[31. Although the spectroscopic properties of semireduced flavin systems have been studied extensively since thenr41, the spatial arrangement favoring chargetransfer interactions and the exchange of redox equivalents by electron transfer is still a matter of controversial discussionc51. In the past, there have been some attempts to inimic these interactions by open-chain trimethylene-linked bis(isoalloxazines)[61. As a major disadvantage of such models, however, it must be realized that their steric structure due to the flexibility of the linking chain is not welldefined. Suitable model systems for determining the orientation and distance dependence of flavin-flavin interactions require clearly defined rigid geometries with sandwich-like flavin-flavin orientation as well as a controlled variation of interplanar distances by the choice of different spacer groups.With the intention to contribute to the understanding of flavin coenzyme functions we tried to synthesize models meeting these requirements. Results referring to flavin-flavin interactions are described in this paper; in the following papers we report on an analogous approach in the attempt to synthesize models for flavin interactions with nicotinamidec7I and quinones[*].Based on earlier extensive experiences of our group in using the "cyclophane concept...