The present paper analyzes the consequences of coupling two independent CSTRs operating under different stability conditions. A variety of behavioural patterns of the coupled system have been shown to exist for different types of reactor combinations, viz. stable-stable, oscillatory-stable and oscillatory-oscillatory. The reactor output is in general sensitive to the exchange coefficient, a proper choice of which can be of use in practice. The results obtained also provide an explanation for the occurrence of aperiodic behaviour. More importantly, the present simple model, viz. the linear coupling of the lumped parameter systems, offers guidelines for the analysis of more complex distributed parameter systems such as catalyst pellet or the fixed bed. © 1983.