Abstract <p>The paper described the data of a preliminary experiment on laser-initiated reactions in a mixture of Ti–Al–CuO powders. A two-dimensional model of laser initiation of reactions in a powder layer located on a substrate was presented. The laser beam moved along the surface according to a given trajectory. Chemical transformations were simulated by a total scheme including the main stages (decomposition of copper oxide CuO to Cu₂O, metallothermic reactions leading to the formation of titanium and aluminum oxides, and the total reaction of matrix formation). The model was realized numerically. It was found that the process of composite synthesis can be divided into two stages. The first one consisted in partial decomposition of copper oxide; the second stage was a controlled process, when reactions took place only in the area of laser beam action. The results of the theory were found to be in qualitative agreement with the experimental data.</p>