Figure 2.

Resveratrol radical. The illustrated phenoxy radical is generated during the widespread AO action of RVT. The radical formation is facile due to the high degree of resonance stabilization afforded by this species. Hence, energetically, this radical is favored over the ones that would be formed from the meta-hydroxy resorcinol group in the other ring. Radical propagation is terminated by C-C radical coupling leading to a more stable dimer.