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Science 14 November 1986:
Vol. 234. no. 4778, pp. 830 - 835
DOI: 10.1126/science.234.4778.830
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Articles

Mechanical Stress and Reactivity in Organic Solids

J. MICHAEL MCBRIDE 1, BRIGITTE E. SEGMULLER 2, MARK D. HOLLINGSWORTH 3, DAVID E. MILLS 4, and BRUCE A. WEBER 5

1 Professor of chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511.
2 Celanese Specialty Operations, Corpus Christi, TX 78469.
3 Postdoctoral fellow in physical chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England CB2 1EP.
4 Tennessee Eastman Company, Kingsport, TN 37662.
5 Postdoctoral fellow in chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015.

Organic single crystals provide an ideal model for studying the factors that influence chemical processes in structured media. Reaction trajectories are well defined and reveal the influence of spontaneous mechanical stresses equivalent to tens of thousands of atmospheres. Analysis of molecular and crystal structures helps to explain both local mechanical properties, which influence reactions, and bulk properties such as melting point, compressibility, and surface energy.


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