Cross-coupling reactions are chemical reactions that join two different molecular fragments by forming a new covalent bond, most often a carbon–carbon bond. In the widely used palladium-catalyzed versions, the two partners briefly meet on a palladium atom, which brings them close enough for the bond to form under relatively mild, selective conditions.
Classic examples include the Heck, Negishi, and Suzuki reactions. In 2010, Richard F. Heck, Ei-ichi Negishi, and Akira Suzuki shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing palladium-catalyzed cross couplings in organic synthesis—tools now used across research and in making pharmaceuticals and electronic materials.
Source: Nobel Prize — Press release: The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2010