In the previous Cu-catalyzed aerobic heterocoupling of 2-naphthols, an aerobic oxidation of Cu(I) to Cu(II) followed by ligation with 3-carbalkoxy-2-naphthol would form a Cu(II) species A. An analogous complex A' from the electron-richer naphthol may generate a free naphthyl radical B' and Cu(I) through ligand to metal charge transfer (LMCT). Then, a radical-anion coupling between A and B' may lead to the formation of BINOL derivatives (Figure ). In contrast to this mechanism, the formation of 3da