For transition metals, oxidative reaction results in the decrease in the d to a configuration with fewer electrons, often 2e fewer. Oxidative addition is favored for metals that are (i) basic and/or (ii) easily oxidized. Metals with a relatively low oxidation state often satisfy one of these requirements, but even high oxidation state metals undergo oxidative addition, as illustrated by the oxidation of Pt(II) with chlorine:
:[PtCl] + Cl → [PtCl]
In classical organometallic chemistry, the formal oxidation state of the metal and the electron count of the complex both increase by two. One-electron changes are also possible and in fact some oxidative addition reactions proceed via series of 1e changes. Although oxidative additions can occur with the insertion of a metal into many different substrates, oxidative additions are most commonly seen with H–H, H–X, and C–X bonds because these substrates are most relevant to commercial applications.
Oxidative addition requires that the metal complex have a vacant coordination site. For this reason, oxidative additions are common for four- and five-coordinate complexes.
Reductive elimination is the reverse of oxidative addition. Reductive elimination is favored when the newly formed X–Y bond is strong. For reductive elimination to occur the two groups (X and Y) should be mutually adjacent on the metal's coordination sphere. Reductive elimination is the key product-releasing step of several reactions that form C–H and C–C bonds.