Oxidative coupling

Oxidative coupling in chemistry is a coupling reaction of two molecular entities through an oxidative process, usually catalysed by a transition metal compound and involving dioxygen as the oxidant. A relevant aliphatic coupling reaction is the oxidative coupling of methane.

In oxidative aromatic coupling the reactants are electron-rich aromatic compounds or entities and the catalyst is an oxidizing agent. The first reported synthetic application dates back to 1868 with Julius Löwe and the synthesis of ellagic acid by heating gallic acid with arsenic acid or silver oxide. A notable reaction is the synthesis of racemic 1,1'-Bi-2-naphthol from 2-naphthol and iron chloride in 1873 by Alexander Dianin