Definition of oxidative addition

The insertion of a metal 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.,

LnMm + XY LnMm+2(X)(Y), or

2 LnMm + XY LnMm+1(X) + LnMm+1(Y)

In free-radical chemistry, the term is used to indicate a free radical addition to a carbon-carbon double bond, under oxidative conditions. For example: