# Silent Partners in the Mill: Unveiling the Role of Additives in Mechanochemical Synthesis

## TL;DR

This review explores how additives enhance mechanochemical reactions, offering a sustainable, solvent-free approach to chemical synthesis.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive overview of additive-assisted mechanochemical synthesis, emphasizing recent trends and material roles.

## Key findings

- Additives like liquids and ionic solids improve mechanochemical reaction efficiency.
- Ionic liquids and piezoelectric materials are emerging as effective additives in mechanochemistry.
- The review highlights both the advantages and limitations of using additives in solvent-free synthesis.

## Abstract

Mechanochemistry has attracted significant attention as a sustainable and efficient alternative to solution‐based synthesis, offering the advantage of solvent‐free conditions or the use of only minor amounts of solvent. Many established mechanochemical transformations rely on the use of additives—a strategy broadly referred to as additive‐assisted grinding. The most employed additives are liquids (liquid‐assisted grinding (LAG)), ionic solids, and non‐ionic additives. Additionally, ionic liquids (ionic liquid‐assisted grinding (IL‐AG)), piezoelectric, or mechanoluminescent materials can be used. This review provides an overview of additive‐assisted organic synthetic transformations under mechanochemical conditions, highlighting the roles, advantages, and limitations of additives, as well as emerging trends from recent literature.

Mechanochemistry offers a sustainable, solvent‐free alternative to traditional synthesis, often enhanced by additives in a process known as additive‐assisted grinding. This review discusses how various additives, including liquids, ionic solids, and advanced materials like ionic liquids and piezoelectric compounds, improve reaction efficiency, highlighting their benefits, limitations, and recent developments.