Separation of dicarboxylic acids through molecular recognition and mechanochemistry
Friday, May 3, 2013 - 08:30
in Physics & Chemistry
(Phys.org) —How does one separate a mixture of components with very similar properties? In the journal Angewandte Chemie, Croatian researchers have introduced a new approach to the separation of organic compounds. In their process, a "host compound" recognizes the desired "guest molecules", not only in solution, but also when the host and mixtures of competitive guest are milled together in the solid state. For the separation of maleic acid, this recognition through mechanochemistry delivers selectivity equal to that achieved by crystallization from a solution.