2010 CHEMISTRY NOBEL PRIZE

NOBEL PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY-2010

Photo: University of Delaware, USA

Photo: Purdue University, USA

Photo: Hokkaido University, Japan

Richard F. Heck

Ei-ichi Negishi

Akira Suzuki

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2010 was awarded jointly to Richard F. Heck, Ei-ichi Negishi and Akira Suzuki

"for palladium-catalyzed cross couplings in organic

synthesis".

The 2010 Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded to Ei-ichi Negishi

and Akira Suzuki (Japan) and Richard Heck (United States) for the

development of palladium-catalyzed cross coupling. Palladium-

catalyzed cross coupling is a chemical investigative tool that

allows scientists to develop new drugs and electronics, among

other things, by facilitating more efficient linking of carbon atoms.

The Heck, Nagishi and Suzuki reactions bring carbon atoms near

each other on a palladium substrate. Positioning the carbon

atoms this way allows them to be bound together to form

molecules that otherwise would be difficult to construct