Hot Mechanochemistry: Environmentally Friendly and Cost-Effective Synthesis of an Antimicrobial Agent
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Junior
Major
Chemistry
Minor
History
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Rachel Allenbaugh, PhD
Presentation Format
Event
Abstract/Description
Green chemistry focuses on the environmental effects of chemical waste and methods to minimize or prevent chemical pollution. Mechanochemistry uses mechanical forces such as milling to drive reactions in the presence of little to no solvent, thus making it more environmentally friendly than traditional solution-based synthesis. Traditional methods of synthesis involve excess solvent and heating, the former resulting in environmentally detrimental solvent waste. In the traditional synthesis of the antimicrobial agent N,N-dimethylbenzamidazolium iodide, an excess of iodomethane is used. Iodomethane causes lung congestion, pulmonary edema, and irritation and the volatile compound initiates ozone depletion through photolytic degradation. Through ball milling, our group has found an environmentally sound way to synthesize the compound requiring less iodomethane. However, while milling is an effective method of synthesis, milling equipment tends to be expensive, and the frequencies at which milling can be performed are limited by this equipment. This dilemma sparked a question in our group: What if the positive benefits of heating could be combined with the benefits of mechanosynthesis? By using equipment from surplus and $20 in scrap parts, our group developed a heating apparatus to fit inside of a ball mill. This talk aims to discuss the design of the heating apparatus and how heating the reaction greatly improves conversion while maintaining the environmentally friendly aspects of mechanochemistry.
Spring Scholars Week 2026
Watershed Studies Institute Research Symposium
Hot Mechanochemistry: Environmentally Friendly and Cost-Effective Synthesis of an Antimicrobial Agent
Green chemistry focuses on the environmental effects of chemical waste and methods to minimize or prevent chemical pollution. Mechanochemistry uses mechanical forces such as milling to drive reactions in the presence of little to no solvent, thus making it more environmentally friendly than traditional solution-based synthesis. Traditional methods of synthesis involve excess solvent and heating, the former resulting in environmentally detrimental solvent waste. In the traditional synthesis of the antimicrobial agent N,N-dimethylbenzamidazolium iodide, an excess of iodomethane is used. Iodomethane causes lung congestion, pulmonary edema, and irritation and the volatile compound initiates ozone depletion through photolytic degradation. Through ball milling, our group has found an environmentally sound way to synthesize the compound requiring less iodomethane. However, while milling is an effective method of synthesis, milling equipment tends to be expensive, and the frequencies at which milling can be performed are limited by this equipment. This dilemma sparked a question in our group: What if the positive benefits of heating could be combined with the benefits of mechanosynthesis? By using equipment from surplus and $20 in scrap parts, our group developed a heating apparatus to fit inside of a ball mill. This talk aims to discuss the design of the heating apparatus and how heating the reaction greatly improves conversion while maintaining the environmentally friendly aspects of mechanochemistry.