Heck reaction. Animation showing the Heck reaction, a chemical reaction that forms a carbon_carbon bond between two molecules. Carbon_carbon bond formation is extremely important in organic synthesis, and the 2010 Nobel Prize for Chemistry was awarded to Richard F Heck with Akira Suzuki and Ei_ichi Negishi for his work on the cross_coupling reaction that bears his name. This animation shows a molecule of iodobenzene left reaction with styrene right in the presence of a palladium catalyst blue. The palladium inserts into the carbon_iodine bond then forms a complex with the double bond on the styrene, which then rearranges to reform the palladium catalyst, leaving a molecule of stilbene, formed by the linking of the two reactants.