SMASHING steel balls together is the latest idea in the drive to make chemical synthesis more environmentally friendly. The collisions provide the right conditions to drive reactions between organic compounds without the need for harmful solvents.
Organic chemicals often have a stable crystal structure that locks up their molecules, making them unreactive. To persuade the molecules of different chemicals to mix and react, they must normally be dissolved in a solvent such as benzene or toluene. But the solvents can’t be reused and are often toxic or harmful to the environment.
Researchers have investigated alternatives such as microwaves and hot…
