TiAl intermetallic was prepared through thermal coupling of highly exothermic Fe2O3-Al reaction (donor) and low-caloric Ti-Al reaction (acceptor). Green compacts represented three-layer 'donor-acceptor-donor' sandwich-type structures. The combustion process was video taped and combustion temperatures in the bulk of donor and acceptor layers and at the interfaces were monitored with a set of thermocouples. The results of video filming and thermocouple measurements allowed us to establish which mode of thermally coupled SHS reaction took place in our conditions. The combustion product was found to contain the TiAl intermetallic with small admixture of Ti3Al and unreacted Al. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of The Combustion Institute.