The effect of the replacement of the carbonyl oxygen in VEC additive by =C(CN)(2) in the analogous dicyano ketene vinyl ethylene acetal (DCKVEA) on the electrochemical reduction profile is significant. Yet, the additives were proven, through IR spectroscopy supported by DFT computations, by applying EELS techniques and performing synthesis of a reduction product, to reduce in a similar way. Interestingly, the reduction-induced capacities were found to be quite different and can be explained either by the different properties of the SEI, from lithium carbonate and its malononitrile homologue, or by the different abilities of the two additives to solvate Li+. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.