Mechanochemistry of Molecular Solids

Mechanochemistry is a scientific field that studies chemical transformations and processes that occur under mechanical treatment. Traditionally, mechanochemistry considered transformations involving inorganic substances, but later researchers also realized its benefits in relation to reactions between organic substances. The absence of necessity to use organic solvents (or at least minimizing its amount), high product yields, increase the rate and selectivity of reactions, as well as the possibility, in some cases, to obtain metastable intermediates are widely regarded as advantages of mechanochemical technology compared with classical organic synthesis in solution. Recently, mechanochemistry has been actively used in the field of crystal engineering to obtain new organic functional materials, pharmaceutical salts and co-crystals, to study the phenomenon of polymorphism, etc. Finally, due to the development of synchrotron radiation experiments, it has become possible to study in details the kinetics and mechanisms of mechanochemical reactions in in-situ mode, which opens up new ways to understand and control reactions occurring under mechanical load.

An analysis of publications shows dynamic growth of research works in the field of organic mechanochemistry in recent years. The purpose of this collection is an accumulation of resent works in the field of mechanochemistry of molecular solids, which may include the study of polymorphic transitions under mechanical treatment; synthesis of new co-crystals and molecular salts (including multicomponent crystals containing API); study of the kinetics and mechanisms of mechanochemical reactions involving molecular substances depending on changes of experimental parameters; selection of experimental parameters for directed and controlled mechanochemical synthesis; monitoring of temperature, pressure and mechanical forces during mechanochemical experiment (whether in-situ, or ex-situ); computational and predictive studies.

We welcome Original Research, Review, Mini Review and Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:
• Mechanochemistry of pharmaceutical co-crystals and salts
• Mechanochemistry of molecular functional materials
• In-situ and ex-situ monitoring of mechanochemical reactions
• Investigation of mechanisms of mechanochemical reactions
• Design of new devices and machines for conducting mechanochemical reactions

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Mini Review
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Mini Review
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Keywords: mechanochemistry, molecular solids, polymorphism, intermolecular interactions, solid state reactivity, ball mills

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.