Three researchers who used palladium to develop more efficient ways of linking carbon atoms to form complex molecules have won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2010.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences revealed today (6th October) that it has decided to give the prestigious honour to Richard F Heck, Ei-ichi Negishi and Akira Suzuki.

Their work in developing a chemical tool known as palladium-catalysed cross coupling was designed to allow chemists to produce more complex carbon-based compounds.

Carbon atoms are notoriously difficult to entice into reacting with one another and previous methods for synthesising intricate molecules generated too many unwanted by-products.

"Palladium-catalysed cross coupling solved that problem and provided chemists with a more precise and efficient tool to work with," noted the awarding body.

"In the Heck reaction, Negishi reaction and Suzuki reaction, carbon atoms meet on a palladium atom, whereupon their proximity to one another kick-starts the chemical reaction."

Palladium-catalysed cross coupling is being used in research across the globe and has led to improved medicines, more precise electronics and advanced technological materials.

Mr Heck is from the University of Delaware, while Mr Negishi is tied to Purdue University in Indiana and Mr Suzuki works at Hokkaido University in Japan.

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The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2010: Palladium (06/10/10) 

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