CHAPTER 25. Mechanochemical Activation and Catalysis

Chemical transformations induced by mechanical force in solids are remarkable since they facilitate syntheses that are normally difficult to achieve in solution and thus allow the preparation of new molecules and materials or drastic improvements of the yields and selectivities. In many cases, the noncovalent interactions (NCIs) with mechanochemical treatment differ significantly from those which occur in analogous solvent-assisted processes. Moreover, if a “mechanocatalyst” is introduced into the system, it can additionally alter the NCIs, bond energies and properties of the reaction intermediates. As result, the outcome of many mechanocatalytic reactions can be very different in terms of efficiency or even reaction pathways compared with the traditional solution-based procedures or noncatalytic mechanochemical processes. Accordingly, in this chapter, certain mechanocatalytic reactions in which the NCIs play a key role are overviewed and discussed. Additionally, an overview of some experimental techniques used to study mechanochemical activation and the respective NCIs is also provided.