Mechanical force and catalysis

What if making a new molecule was as easy as stretching a rubber band?

Any force developed at the macroscopic scale can induce dramatic changes at the molecular scale, even breaking covalent bonds.[1] Indeed, mechanical force is a formidable source of energy that, with its ability to distort, bend and stretch chemical bonds, is unique in the way it promotes chemical reactions. Although chemists have developed catalysts that can be controlled using various stimuli (pH, light, allostery), very few examples of mechanoactivated catalysts have been reported so far.[2]

In this project you will create new types of force-activated catalysts. You will investigate their activation both in solution, using ultrasounds, and in the solid-state by mechanical stretching. You will then explore their catalytic performances on relevant substrates. This project could lead to the development of self-healing materials and to the creation of chemical systems able to perform complex synthetic tasks.

You will be trained in synthetic organic and polymer chemistries, catalysis, computational chemistry and materials science.

[1] (a) Li, J. et al. Polymer Mechanochemistry: From Destructive to Productive. Acc Chem Res 2015, 48 (8), 2181–2190. (b) Caruso, M. M. et al. Mechanically-Induced Chemical Changes in Polymeric Materials. Chem. Rev. 2009, 109 (11), 5755–5798.
[2] Blanco, V. et al. Artificial Switchable Catalysts. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2015, 44 (15), 5341–5370.