Reactions of the 21st Century: Two Decades of Innovative Catalyst Design for Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Couplings

A brief account of the major developments of palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling during the last two decades is highlighted chronologically, with an emphasis on the personal experiences of the corresponding author. Important contributions from both academia and industry, which have been vital to the accelerated growth of this area, are presented. The developments of new classes of ligands and the switch from in situ to preformed catalysts tailored to address the challenges in cross-coupling are reviewed, reflecting an evolution in continued growth.