We report the mechanochemical reactivity of the highly strained pentacyclic hydrocarbon cubane. The mechanical reactivity of cubane is explored for three regioisomers with 1,2-, 1,3-, and 1,4-substituted pulling attachments. Whereas all compounds can be activated thermally, mechanical activation is observed via pulsed ultrasonication of cubane-containing polymers only when force is applied via 1,2-attachment. The single observed product of the force-coupled reaction is a thermally inaccessible syn-tricyclooctadiene, in contrast to cyclooctatetraene (observed thermally) or a pair of cyclobutadienes that would result from sequential cyclobutane scission. We further quantify the mechanochemical reactivity of cubane by single molecule force spectroscopy, and force-coupled rate constants for ring opening reach ∼33 s–1 at a force of ∼1.55 nN, lower than forces of 1.8–2.0 nN that are typical of conventional cyclobutanes.

<div><p>Coupled mechanical forces are known to drive a range of covalent chemical reactions, but the interplay of mechanical force applied to a spectator ligand and transition metal reactivity is relatively unexplored. Here we report the effect of mechanical force on the rate of C(sp²)-C(sp²) reductive elimination from platinum(II) diaryl complexes containing macrocyclic bis(phosphine) force probe ligands. Compressive forces decreased the rate of reductive elimination whereas extension forces increased the rate of reductive elimination relative to the strain-free MeOBiphep complex with a 3.4-fold change in rate over a ~290 pN range of restoring forces. The natural bite angle of the free ligand changes with force, but ³¹P NMR analysis strongly suggests no significant force-induced perturbation of the ground state geometry of the (P–P)PtAr₂ complexes. Rather, the force/rate behavior observed across this range of forces (from ca. 65 pN in compression to >200 pN in extension) for reductive elimination is attributed to the coupling of force to the elongation of the O<b>^…</b>O distance in the transition state for reductive elimination. The results suggest opportunities to experimentally map geometry changes associated with reactions in transition metal complexes and potential strat-egies for force-modulated catalysis. </p></div><br>

<div><p>Coupled mechanical forces are known to drive a range of covalent chemical reactions, but the interplay of mechanical force applied to a spectator ligand and transition metal reactivity is relatively unexplored. Here we report the effect of mechanical force on the rate of C(sp²)-C(sp²) reductive elimination from platinum(II) diaryl complexes containing macrocyclic bis(phosphine) force probe ligands. Compressive forces decreased the rate of reductive elimination whereas extension forces increased the rate of reductive elimination relative to the strain-free MeOBiphep complex with a 3.4-fold change in rate over a ~290 pN range of restoring forces. The natural bite angle of the free ligand changes with force, but ³¹P NMR analysis strongly suggests no significant force-induced perturbation of the ground state geometry of the (P–P)PtAr₂ complexes. Rather, the force/rate behavior observed across this range of forces (from ca. 65 pN in compression to >200 pN in extension) for reductive elimination is attributed to the coupling of force to the elongation of the O<b>^…</b>O distance in the transition state for reductive elimination. The results suggest opportunities to experimentally map geometry changes associated with reactions in transition metal complexes and potential strat-egies for force-modulated catalysis. </p></div><br>