Mechanochemistry saw landmark advancements in 2017 at both lab and industrial scales. Of particular interest is the identification of the dominant forces controlling energy availability in mechanochemical processes, and the subsequent creation of methods for fine control of energy in such systems. Through the application of a series of Diels-Alder reactions in a uniquely modified vibrational mill, this work uncovers the roles of reaction-vessel temperature and milling frequency at lab scale. By isolating these variables from one another, we determined that temperature strongly influences reaction rate and that milling frequency plays a supporting role, likely as a result of controlling mixing speed. These results regarding temperature and mixing effects are in excellent agreement with simultaneous and independent results regarding modified twin-screw extruders, suitable for industrial scale, continuous flow mechanochemistry. Together, these technologies afford chemists and engineers methods for developing solvent-free or solvent-reduced syntheses while also easing scale-up concerns.

Temperature and frequency: Coarse and fine control of energy in lab-scale mechanochemistry

256th National Meeting (2018)

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