Conquering the impossible: mechanochemistry as a tool for tackling coordination chemistry challenges

Abstract

Organic solvents are ubiquitously used in synthetic coordination chemistry, but these solution-based synthetic methods have severe drawbacks, such as the incapability of isolating highly reactive species which react with the solvent molecules, less-controllable heterogeneous reactions when using insoluble substrate(s), and unfavourable solvent molecule coordination. In recent years, coordination chemists have started employing mechanochemical methods (e.g., ball mill) to overcome these drawbacks. Herein, we offer our perspective about how mechanochemical methods have enabled coordination chemists to achieve what would otherwise be impossible. It should be noted that, this perspective should not be treated as a comprehensive review of mechanochemistry in coordination chemistry, instead, a “stepping stone” aiming at inspiring further endeavours. Also, due to the research background of the authors, the selection of examples herein may appear biased towards main-group chemistry, which we feel necessary to remind our readers.