Nanostructured ZnO and CuO, and coupled oxides, i.e., ZnCu, Zn2Cu, and ZnCu2, with ZnO:CuO molar ratios of 1:1, 2:1, and 1:2, respectively, were successfully prepared through a simple, one-step, microwave-assisted urea-nitrate combustion synthesis, without the use of organic solvents or surfactants. The prepared samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The optical absorption of ZnO extended into the visible region after CuO loading. The photocatalytic activities of ZnO, CuO, and the coupled oxides were evaluated based on photodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol under visible-light irradiation. The coupled metal oxide Zn2Cu showed the best photocatalytic activity; this was mainly attributed to the extended photoresponsive range and the increased charge separation rate in the nanocomposite. The photocatalytic degradation process obeyed pseudo-first-order kinetics. The results suggest that the coupled metal oxide Zn2Cu has potential applications as an efficient catalytic material with high efficiency and recyclability for the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants in aqueous solution under visible-light irradiation. © 2015, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.