Advances in the field of mechanochemistry have prompted the development of a new force-responsive class of materials. These materials have many promising applications, using applied force to elicit unique responses such as displaying color-changing or self-strengthening properties. The development of these new chemistries stems from the ability of mechanical forces to distort the potential energy surface of a reactive landscape. These distortions lead to qualitative changes in the reaction mechanism that depend on the specifics of the force induction and potential chemistries of the mechanophore. The growing string method has been demonstrated to be an effective tool for elucidating complex reaction mechanisms even when the mechanical perturbations to the potential energy surface eliminate intermediates and transition states along a reaction path. Herein, several challenging mechanochemical transformations are examined, focusing on mechanophores that exploit flex activation (angular deformation that occurs during elongation of polymer segments), including mechanophores with the ability to release small molecule organocatalysts.

Using the growing string method to develop force-responsive materials: Elucidating mechanistic details for mechanochemical reactions

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

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