ULLMANN

REACTION

HISTORY
The Ullmann reaction is an organic reaction used to couple
two molecules of aryl halide to form a biaryl using copper
metal and thermal conditions.
The mechanism for the Ullmann reaction is not fully understood but there are two popular mechanisms.

HISTORY
The radical mechanism begins with a single electron
transfer (SET) from the copper metal to the alkyl halide to
form an aryl radical.
Two aryl radical then react to form the final biaryl product.
The second proposed mechanism begins with oxidative
addition of the copper to the aryl halide followed by a SET
to form an organocuprate reagent.
The organocuprate performs another oxidative addition on
an aryl halide and after reductive elimination results in the
final biaryl product.