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Mechanochemical techniques for the activation and use of zero-valent metals in synthesis

Nature Synthesis volume 1, pages 763–775 (2022)Cite this article

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Abstract

Activating raw, zero-valent metals is an essential capability for chemical processes, which include synthesis and catalysis. In recent years there has been the discovery and growing intensity in the use of mechanical action, through the utility of ball mills, to facilitate the activation of zero-valent metals. The complexity of the synthetic reaction systems in which these processing techniques can be used has now reached a tipping-point, with, among others, cross-electrophile coupling, radical reactions and new modes of zero-valent reactivity demonstrated. In addition, the technique of ball milling is synonymous with solvent minimization for the reaction component of a synthetic process. In this review, we demonstrate that, together, these developments paint an intriguing picture in which the combination of the technique of ball milling and chemical synthesis mediated by zero-valent metals could deliver a sustainable platform for chemical synthesis, catalysis and new reaction discovery for the future.

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Fig. 1: Use of zero-valent metals for chemical synthesis.
Fig. 2: Use of magnesium(0) in mechanochemistry.
Fig. 3: Use of magnesium(0) in mechanochemistry continued.
Fig. 4: Use of manganese(0) in mechanochemical synthesis.
Fig. 5: Use of nickel(0) in mechanochemical synthesis.
Fig. 6: Use of zinc(0) in mechanochemistry.
Fig. 7: Further examples of the use of zinc(0) in mechanochemistry.
Fig. 8: Use of silver(0) and bismuth(0) in mechanochemistry.

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Change history

  • 12 August 2022

    In the version of this article initially published, the first author name listed in ref. 54 was spelt incorrectly and the name has been corrected in the HTML and PDF versions of the article.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the European Union, WEFO, Cardiff University and Cambridge Reactor Design for a Knowledge Economy and Skills Scholarship (KESS2) to A.C.J., the Leverhulme Trust for a research grant (RPG-2019-260) to J.A.L. and Syngenta and EPSRC for an iCASE award (EP/W522077/1) to S.R.B.

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  1. These authors contributed equally: Andrew C. Jones, Jamie A. Leitch.

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  1. School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK

    Andrew C. Jones

  2. Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, University College London (UCL), School of Pharmacy, London, UK

    Jamie A. Leitch, Sarah E. Raby-Buck & Duncan L. Browne

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A.C.J., J.A.L., S.R.B. and D.L.B. created the initial outline for the review. All further drafts were written by contributions from and discussions with all the authors.

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Jones, A.C., Leitch, J.A., Raby-Buck, S.E. et al. Mechanochemical techniques for the activation and use of zero-valent metals in synthesis. Nat. Synth 1, 763–775 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44160-022-00106-4

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