organic chemistry Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the science, scientific study of the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds and organic matter, organic materials, i.e., matter in its various forms that contain ...

, a coupling reaction is a type of reaction in which two reactant molecules are bonded together. Such reactions often require the aid of a metal catalyst. In one important reaction type, a main group organometallic compound of the type R-M (where R = organic group, M = main group centre metal atom) reacts with an organic halide of the type R'-X with formation of a new carbon–carbon bond in the product R-R'. The most common type of coupling reaction is the cross coupling reaction. Richard F. Heck, Ei-ichi Negishi, and Akira Suzuki were awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing palladium-catalyzed cross coupling reactions. Broadly speaking, two types of coupling reactions are recognized: *Homocouplings joining two identical partners. The product is symmetrical *Heterocouplings joining two different partners. These reactions are also called

cross-coupling reaction In organic chemistry, a cross-coupling reaction is a reaction where two different fragments are joined. Cross-couplings are a subset of the more general coupling reactions. Often cross-coupling reactions require metal catalysts. One important re ...

s. The product is unsymmetrical, .

Homo-coupling types

Coupling reactions are illustrated by the Ullmann reaction:

Cross-coupling types

Applications

Coupling reactions are routinely employed in the preparation of pharmaceuticals. Conjugated polymers are prepared using this technology as well.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coupling Reaction Organometallic chemistry Carbon-carbon bond forming reactions Catalysis