Phosphine-free palladium-catalyzed Mizoroki–Heck reaction was performed using ball-milling in polyethylene glycol under mild conditions. Good to excellent yields of coupling products were obtained. This activation technique also allowed the concomitant formation of round shaped Pd–PEG nanoparticles that were characterized by TEM analysis.

Synthetic mechanochemistry, the use of mechanical force produced by milling, grinding or extruding, as an activation technique, provides access to chemical entities of all kinds. This Review is focused on examples reported so far of known Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), and effectively evaluated bioactive molecules, all prepared by mechanosynthesis. Three families of molecules are discussed: heterocyclic compounds, metal complexes and peptides. Advantages of the mechanochemistry approach are highlighted especially from a green chemistry and efficacy point of view.

The synthesis, characterisation and catalytic behaviour of ruthenium indenylidene complexes bearing an N-heterocyclic carbene and triisopropylphosphite are described.

Ball-milling of heterogeneous metallic copper, O₂ and imidazolium salts enables the highly efficient production of Cu–NHC complexes.