Term: oxidative addition
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.O04367

Definition:
The insertion of a metal complex into a covalent bond involving formally an overall two-electron loss on one metal or a one-electron loss on each of two metals, i.e. \[\text{L}_{n}\text{M}^{m}+\text{XY}\rightarrow \text{L}_{n}\text{M}^{m+2}\left(\text{X}\right)\left(\text{Y}\right)\] or \[2\text{L}_{n}\text{M}^{m}+\text{XY}\rightarrow \text{L}_{n}\text{M}^{m+1}\left(\text{X}\right)+\text{L}_{n}\text{M}^{m+1}\left(\text{Y}\right)\] In radical chemistry, the term is used to indicate a radical addition to a carbon–carbon double bond, under oxidative conditions. For example: O04367-2.png

Related Terms:
1) insertion (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.I03058).
2) radical (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.R05066).
3) covalent bond (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01384).

Image: Not defined (https://goldbook.iupac.org/img/inline/O04367-2.png) 

Source: PAC, 1994, 66, 1077. 'Glossary of terms used in physical organic chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1994)' on page 1149 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199466051077)

Citation: 'oxidative addition' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.O04367

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