The prize was shared by Professors Richard Heck, Ei-ichi Negishi and Akira Suzuki for their work on developing new ways of linking carbon atoms.
Prof David Phillips, President of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said:
“The metal-based ‘coupling’ reactions pioneered by this year’s three chemistry Nobel laureates have led to countless breakthroughs. The Heck, Negishi and Suzuki reactions make possible the vital fluorescent marking that underpins DNA sequencing, and are essential tools for synthetic chemists creating complex new drugs and polymers.
“With Geim and Novoselov from The University of Manchester taking the physics prize for their excellent work on graphene, I’m pleased to say this year’s Nobels have had a distinctly chemical flavour.”